Introduction to Java: History and Features

Key terms and concepts related to the introduction and features of Java.

Java

A programming language created by James Gosling, Bill Joy, and Patrick Naughton in 1990, initially called Oak.

Platform Independence

Java’s ability to run on any operating system due to the compilation of source code (.java) into byte-code (.class), allowing it to be executed on any system with a Java Virtual Machine.

HotJava

The first web browser developed in 1994 that exemplified Java's capabilities.

Java Virtual Machine (JVM)

An abstract computing machine that enables a computer to run Java programs by interpreting byte-code.

Application Programming Interface (API)

A large library of pre-written software components packaged into classes and methods, allowing developers to interact with systems and perform complex tasks.

JDK

Java Development Kit, a software development environment for developing Java applications.

Java Compiler (javac)

A tool that converts Java source code (.java) into byte-code (.class) for execution by the JVM.

Checked Exception

An exception that must be explicitly handled or declared in a method’s throws clause, usually related to I/O operations.

Abstraction

An OOP principle focused on hiding complexity by exposing only the essential features of an object.

Encapsulation

An OOP principle that binds data and behavior together while restricting direct access to some components.

Inheritance

An OOP feature that allows a new class to inherit properties and methods from an existing class.

Polymorphism

The ability of different classes to respond to the same method call in different ways, often achieved through method overriding.

Constructor

A special method used to initialize objects, typically named the same as the class.

Getter and Setter

Methods used to read and modify private fields of a class, helping enforce encapsulation.

Static Type vs Dynamic Type

Static type is the type declared in the variable definition, while dynamic type is the actual object type assigned during execution.

ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException

An error that occurs when trying to access an array element with an invalid index.

Garbage Collection

A memory management process in Java that automatically frees up memory by deleting objects that are no longer in use.

String Pool

A special memory area in Java where string literals are stored, allowing for memory efficiency.

Object Serialization

The process of converting an object into a byte stream for storage or transmission.

Array

A fixed-size data structure that holds a collection of elements of the same type.

HashMap

A data structure that maps keys to values, allowing for fast retrieval based on unique keys.