Chapter 2: Java Evolution
2.1 Java History
Year Development
1990 Sun Microsystems decided to develop special software that could be used to
manipulate consumer electronic devices. A team of Sun Microsystems
programmers headed by James Gosling was formed to undertake this risk.
1991 After exploring the possibility of using the most popular object-oriented
language C++, the team announced a new language named “Oak”.
1992 The team, known as Green Project team by Sun, demonstrated the
application of their new language to control a list of home appliances using
hand-held device with a tiny touch-sensitive screen.
1993 The World Wide Web (WWW) appeared on the Internet and transformed
the text-based Internet into a graphical-rich environment. The Green Project
team came up with the idea of developing Web applets (tiny programs)
using the new language that could run on all types of computers connected
to Internet.
1994 The team developed a Web browser called “HotJava” to locate and run
applet programs on Internet. HotJava demonstrated the power of the new
language, thus making it instantly popular among the Internet users.
1995 Oak was renamed “Java”, due to some legal snags. Java is just a name and is
not an acronym. Many popular companies including Netscape and Microsoft
announced their support to Java.
1996 Java established itself not only as a leader for Internet programming but also
as a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language. Java found its
home.
2.2 Java Features
Sun Microsystems officially describes Java with the following attributes:
1. Compiled and Interpreted
Usually, a computer language is either compiled or interpreted. Java combines both these
approaches thus making Java a two-stage system. First, Java compiler translates source code
into bytecode instructions. Bytecodes are not machine instructions and therefore, in the second
stage, Java interpreter generates machine code that can be directly executed by the machine
that is running the Java program. We can thus say that Java is both a compiled and an
interpreted language.
2. Platform-Independent and Portable
The most significant contribution of Java over other languages is its portability. Java programs
can be easily moved from one computer system to another, anywhere and anytime.
Java ensures portability in two ways: First, Java compiler generates bytecode instructions that
can be implemented on any machine. Secondly, the size of the primitive data types are machine-
independent.
3. Object-Oriented
Java is a true object-oriented language. Almost everything in Java is an object. All program code
and data reside within objects and classes. Java comes with an extensive set of classes, arranged
in packages, that we can use in our programs by inheritance.
4. Robust and Secure
2.1 Java History
Year Development
1990 Sun Microsystems decided to develop special software that could be used to
manipulate consumer electronic devices. A team of Sun Microsystems
programmers headed by James Gosling was formed to undertake this risk.
1991 After exploring the possibility of using the most popular object-oriented
language C++, the team announced a new language named “Oak”.
1992 The team, known as Green Project team by Sun, demonstrated the
application of their new language to control a list of home appliances using
hand-held device with a tiny touch-sensitive screen.
1993 The World Wide Web (WWW) appeared on the Internet and transformed
the text-based Internet into a graphical-rich environment. The Green Project
team came up with the idea of developing Web applets (tiny programs)
using the new language that could run on all types of computers connected
to Internet.
1994 The team developed a Web browser called “HotJava” to locate and run
applet programs on Internet. HotJava demonstrated the power of the new
language, thus making it instantly popular among the Internet users.
1995 Oak was renamed “Java”, due to some legal snags. Java is just a name and is
not an acronym. Many popular companies including Netscape and Microsoft
announced their support to Java.
1996 Java established itself not only as a leader for Internet programming but also
as a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language. Java found its
home.
2.2 Java Features
Sun Microsystems officially describes Java with the following attributes:
1. Compiled and Interpreted
Usually, a computer language is either compiled or interpreted. Java combines both these
approaches thus making Java a two-stage system. First, Java compiler translates source code
into bytecode instructions. Bytecodes are not machine instructions and therefore, in the second
stage, Java interpreter generates machine code that can be directly executed by the machine
that is running the Java program. We can thus say that Java is both a compiled and an
interpreted language.
2. Platform-Independent and Portable
The most significant contribution of Java over other languages is its portability. Java programs
can be easily moved from one computer system to another, anywhere and anytime.
Java ensures portability in two ways: First, Java compiler generates bytecode instructions that
can be implemented on any machine. Secondly, the size of the primitive data types are machine-
independent.
3. Object-Oriented
Java is a true object-oriented language. Almost everything in Java is an object. All program code
and data reside within objects and classes. Java comes with an extensive set of classes, arranged
in packages, that we can use in our programs by inheritance.
4. Robust and Secure
