Java - Let’s get started

Java, here I go!

I really need to get into Java concepts and programming, and later into Java EE and Oracle Fusion. So, let me start with the basics and grow from there.

"Write once, run anywhere!" (WORA)

Java is a class-based and object-oriented programming language that was designed to have as few operating system dependencies as possible. Java code that was compiled and runs on one operating system platform should not need to be recompiled to run on another operating system.

Java applications are written in text files (.java) and compiled to bytecode class files (.class) that can run on any Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Multiple class files can be packaged together in JAR files (.jar), the Java Archives.

There are JVMs for many operating systems, like Windows, Linux. Solaris, HP-UX, Android, etc. It’s the JVM that provides a run-time environment (JRE) in which Java bytecode can be executed for that specific operating system platform.

The history

Java was originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems, starting from 1991. The first release was in 1995. Since then the language has evolved and many features were added. Sun was sold to Oracle Corporation in 2009, so Java is now an Oracle product.

The latest major update of Java was the version 7 (or 1.7), which was released in 2012.

You can read more about Java concepts and history in this links:

• Java.com
• Wikipedia – Java Programming Language
• Wikipedia – Java Software Platform
• Wikipedia – Java Virtual Machine
• Wikipedia – Java version history

A few good videos are also available at the Java Youtube channel:

• About Java - http://youtu.be/yfcyeY-jQbI
• Moving Java Forward - http://youtu.be/TJh1c_eFRBs

  
Other Good videos:  

• What is Java Platform? - http://youtu.be/1D9Q5qiu6Zo
• Java Virtual Machine (JVM) : How it works - http://youtu.be/aa7Y07Wv1-M
• Installing Java  - http://youtu.be/gg3ARiiSAfM
  
• Creating First Java Program - http://youtu.be/dBkW5V8ZroQ