Going Inside Java

Abstract

Java has been described as “a simple, robust, object-oriented, platform-independent, multithreaded, dynamic, general-purpose programming environment.” Living up to this definition allowed Java to grow and expand into so many niches that it’s almost unrecognizable from its earliest days. Today you can find Java just about anywhere you can find a microprocessor. It’s used in the largest of enterprises to the smallest of devices, and it’s used in devices from cell phones to supercooled mainframes. For Java to support such a wide range of environments, an almost bewildering array of application programming interfaces (APIs) and versions have been developed, though they’re built around a common set of core classes.