Scribd
Upload
40 views

Lesson 1.1

Java is a computer programming language developed by Sun Microsystems (now owned by Oracle) in 1995. It is a platform independent language that can be used to develop many types of applications including graphical user interfaces, web applets, and console applications. Some key advantages of Java include that it is free, can run on any device, is object oriented which allows code reuse, and has a simple language compared to other languages.

Uploaded by

alex
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
40 views

Lesson 1.1

Java is a computer programming language developed by Sun Microsystems (now owned by Oracle) in 1995. It is a platform independent language that can be used to develop many types of applications including graphical user interfaces, web applets, and console applications. Some key advantages of Java include that it is free, can run on any device, is object oriented which allows code reuse, and has a simple language compared to other languages.

Uploaded by

alex
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 7

What is Java?

Java is a computer programming language developed by Sun


Microsystems (now owned by Oracle).

A programming language is used to provide instructions to a


computer to do specific tasks.

Java is a new language (being created in 1995) and has been very
successful.

Advantages of Java:
1. Cost 4. Object Oriented
2. Platform Independent 5. Simple language
3. Versatility
Cost
The first reason for Java’s popularity is its cost – absolutely FREE!!

Many other programming languages sell for hundreds and


thousands of dollars, which makes it difficult for many people to
start learning programming.

Platform Independent

A second reason for the popularity of Java is that a Java program


can run on almost any computer.

With Java, there is no such thing as a Mac version or a Windows


version of a program.
Versatility
Java can be used to develop many types of applications.
There are simple text-based programs called console applications.
You can also build graphical user interface (GUI, pronounced
‘gooey’) applications.

These are applications with menus, toolbars, buttons, scroll bars,


and other controls which depend on the computer mouse for
input.

A last application that can be built with Java are applets.

These are small GUI applications that can be run from within a web
page.

Such applets make web pages dynamic, changing with time.


Object Oriented
This means that Java programs are many basic pieces that can be
used over and over again.

You can build and change large programs without a lot of additional
complication.

Simple language

Compared to other languages, there is less to learn.

This simplicity is necessary to help insure the platform-independence


(ability to run on any computer) of Java applications.

You can do anything with Java that you can with any of the more
complicated languages.
A Brief History of Programming Languages

In the early 1950’s most computers were used for scientific and
engineering calculations.
The programming language of choice in those days was called
FORTRAN (FORmula TRANslator).
FORTRAN was the first modern language and is still in use to this
day (after going through several updates).

In the late 1950’s, bankers and other business people got into the
computer business using a language called COBOL (Common
Business Oriented Language).

In the 1960’s, two professors at Dartmouth College decided that


“everyday” people needed to have a language they could use to
learn programming.
They developed BASIC (Beginner’s All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction
Code).

BASIC (and its successors, GW-BASIC, Visual Basic, Visual Basic .NET)
is probably the most widely used programming language.

BASIC has been used to develop thousands of commercial


applications.

Java had its beginnings in 1972, when AT&T Bell Labs developed the
C programming language.
Then, with object-oriented capabilities added, came C++ in 1986
(also from Bell Labs).

On May 23, 1995, Sun Microsystems released the first version of the
Java programming language.

It represented a streamlined version of C and C++ with capabilities


for web and desktop applications on any kind of computer.

No language before it had such capabilities.

You might also like