Java Programming: Chapter 1

Computer Program

A set of instructions that you write to tell a computer what to do.

Hardware

The physical components of a computer.

Software

The programs and other operating information used by a computer.

Application Software

A program that performs a task for a user.

Software System

A program that manages the computer itself.

Logic

Determines the exact order of instructions needed to produce desired results.

High-Level Programming Language

A programming language that allows you to use an English-like, easy-to-remember terms such as read, write, and add.

Low-Level Programming Language

A programming language that corresponds closely to a specific computer's circuitry and are not as easily read or understood.

Machine Language

Also known as Machine Code, is the most basic set of instructions that a computer can execute.

Binary Numbering System

A base-2 numbering system using 0 and 1.

Syntax

Rules about how language elements are combined correctly to produce usable statements.

Keywords

A languages specific and limited vocabulary.

Program Statements

Statements that carry out the program's tasks.

Commands

Program statements

Compiler

A program that translates a language statement into machine code, translating an entire program before executing it.

Interpreter

A program that translates language statements into machine code, translating and executing one statement at a time.

Execution

The act of carrying out a program statement or program.

At Run Time

The period of time during which a program executes.

Syntax Error

A programming error that occurs when a program contains typing errors or incorrect language use.

Debugging

The process of locating and repairing a program's errors.

Bugs

A program's flaws and errors.

Logic Error

A programming bug that allows a source program to be translated to an executable program successfully but produces incorrect results.

Structured Walkthrough

A group of programmers carefully examining the structure of a program

Semantic Errors

The type of errors that occur when a correct word is used in the wrong context

Procedural Programming

A style of programming in which operations are executed one after another in sequence.

Variables

Named computer memory locations that can hold data that is changeable.

Procedures

Sets of operations performed by a computer program.

Calls a Procedure

To invoke a method.

Procedure

Also known as a module, method, function, and subroutine.

Object-Oriented Programming

Programs that use a style of programming that involves creating classes, creating classes from those objects from those classes, and creating applications that use those objects.

Computer Simulations

Programs that attempt to mimic real-world activities so that their processes can be improved or so that users can better understand how the real-world processes operate.

Graphical User Interfaces (GUI)

Environments that allow users to interact with a program in a graphical environment.

Class

A group or collection of objects with common properties

Class Definition

A description of attributes and methods of objects instantiated from a class

Attributes

Characteristics that define an object as part of a class

Properties

The characteristics that define an object, an instance variable, field, or attribute of a class

Object

An instance of a class

Instance

An existing object of a class

Instantiation

The process of creating an object, and also describes one tangible object created from a class

State

The values of an object's attributes

Method

A program module that contains a series of statements that carry out a task

Encapsulation

The act of hiding data and methods within an object

Information Hiding

Concealment of data

Implementation Hiding

Concealment of how methods work

Inheritance

A mechanism that enables one class to inherit, or assume, both the behavior and the attributes of another class

Polymorphism

The feature of languages that allows the same word to be interpreted correctly in different situations based on context

Architecturally Neutral

The feature of Java that allows a program to run on any platform

Java Virtual Machine (JVM)

A hypothetical (software-based) computer on which Java runs

Source Code

Programming statements written in a high-level programming language

Development Environment

A set of tools that helps programmers by providing such features as displaying a language's keywords in color

Bytecode

Programming statements that have been compiled into binary format

Java Interpreter

The program that checks byte one and communicates with the operating system, executing the bytecode instructions line by line within the Java Virtual Machine

Console Applications

Programs that support character or text output to a computer screen

Windowed Applications

Programs that create a graphical user interface (GUI) with elements such as menus, toolbars, and dialog boxes

Literal String

A series of characters that appear exactly as entered

Arguments

Data items sent to methods in a method call

Passing Arguments

The act of sending arguments to a method

Unicode

An international system of character representation

Pascal Casing

Also known as upper camel casing. The style of using a uppercase letter to begin an identifier to start each new word in an identifier

public

Java keyword that describes how methods can access a field or method

Access Specifier

Defines the circumstances under which a class can be accessed; often used interchangeably with access modifier

Class Body

The set of data items and methods between the curly braces that follow the class header

Static

A keyword that means a method is accessible and usable even though no objects of the class exist

Void

A keyword that, when used in a method header, indicates that the method does not return any value when it is called

Whitespace

Any combination of nonprinting characters; for example, spaces, tabs and carriage returns (blank lines)

K&R Style

The indent style in which the opening brace follows the header line

Allman Style

The indent style in which curly braces are aligned and each occupies its own line

Compile-Time Error

An error for which the compiler detects a violation of language syntax rules and is unable to translate the source code to machine code

Clean Build

A compilation that is created after deleting all previously compiled versions of a class

Run-Time Error

An error that occurs when a program compiles successfully but doesn't execute

Program Comments

Nonexecuting statements added to a Java file for documentation

Comment Out

The technique of turning a program statement to a comment so the compiler will not execute the command

Line Comments

Comments that start with two forward slashes (//) and continue to the end of the current line

Block Comments

Comments that start with a forward slash and an asterisk (/) and end with an asterisk and a forward slash (/)

Javadoc

A documentation generator that creates Application Programming Interface (API) documentation in Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format for Java source code. Begins with a forward slash and two asterisks (/*) and ends with an asterisk and a forward slash (/)

Documentation Comments

Comments that automatically generate well-formatted program documentation

Dialog Box

A GUI object resembling a window that displays messages

Import Statement

A Java statement that allows access to a built-in Java class that is contained in a package

Package

A named collection or library of classes

Java API

The application programming interface, a collection of information about how to use every pre-written Java class

Java Development Kit (JDK)

The Java Standard Edition Development Kit

Software Development Kit (SDK)

A set of tools useful to programmers