This document introduces Java by discussing the syntax, API, and how to build standalone Java programs and applets. It explains that Java is an object-oriented language with a large library of predefined objects and operations. Applets run within browsers with restrictions, while applications and servlets can be run by servers and standalone. The document demonstrates how to compile and run a simple "Hello World" Java program, and covers Java's primitive data types, expressions, control statements, and classes. It also discusses creating and using objects and arrays in Java.