© 2008 Marty Hall

Java: Introduction
and Overview

Customized Java EE Training: http://courses.coreservlets.com/

Servlets, JSP, Struts, JSF/MyFaces/Facelets, Ajax, GWT, Java 5 or 6, etc. Spring/Hibernate coming soon.
Developed and taught by well-known author and developer. At public venues or onsite at your location.

© 2008 Marty Hall

For live Java training, please see training courses at

http://courses.coreservlets.com/. Servlets, JSP, Struts,
JSF, Ajax, GWT, Java 5, Java 6, & customized
combinations of topics. Spring/Hibernate coming soon.

Taught by the author of Core Servlets and JSP, More

Servlets and JSP, and this tutorial. Available at
public venues, or customized versions can be held
Customized Java EE Training: http://courses.coreservlets.com/
Servlets, JSP, Struts, JSF/MyFaces/Facelets, Ajax, GWT, Java 5 or 6, etc. Spring/Hibernate coming soon.
on-siteauthor
Developed and taught by well-known at and
your organization.
developer. At public venues or onsite at your location.
Agenda
• Truths / Myths About Java
– Java is Web-Enabled?
– Java is Safe?
– Java is Cross-Platform?
– Java is Simple?
– Java is Powerful?
• Common Java Protocols and Packages
• Getting Started
– Applications
– Applets

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Java is Web-Enabled?

• Truth: Web browsers can run Java “applets”

– The Web can be used for software delivery and execution,
not just document delivery and display
– No more installation or updates; just a bookmark
– Large, complex applets best suited for intranets. Fits the
APL model better than the WWW at large.

• Truth: Java’s network library is easy to use

– Ordinary mortals can do socket programming
– Standard distributed object protocol and DBMS API

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Hubble Space Telescope Monitoring:
“NASA Goddard’s Most Successful SW Project Ever.”

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Java is Web-Enabled?

• Myth: Java is only for the Web

– Java “applets” run in Web pages
– Java “applications” run stand-alone
– Current usage (roughly)
• Client (applet): 5%
• Desktop (application): 25%
• Server (servlets/JSP/EJB): 70%

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Tomahawk Strike Coordination
Planner (APL/PPSD)

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Java is Safe?

• JAVA: Just Another Virus Architecture?

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com
Java is Safe?
• Truth: Restrictions on permissible
operations can be enforced
– No “raw” memory manipulation (directly or indirectly).
• Thus, it is easy to identify prohibited operations.
– Applets, by default, prohibited from:
• Reading from the local disk
• Writing to the local disk
• Executing local programs
• Opening network connections other than to HTTP server
• Discovering private info about user (username, directories,
OS patch level, applications installed, etc.).

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Java is Safe?
• Myth: Applets cannot harm your computer
– Denial of service
– Browser misconfiguration
– Implementation bugs
• Myth: Java is too restricted to be useful
– Restrictions apply only to applets, not regular Java
programs
– Digital signatures support relaxed restrictions
• Myth: Applets with digital signatures are no
more or less safe than ActiveX
– Relaxed security in applets not “all or nothing” as in
ActiveX
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com
Java is Cross-Platform?
• Truth: Java programs can compile to
machine-independent bytecode
Java Java Bytecode
Source Code
JIT Compiler
Compiler or Interpreter
(javac)
Java Bytecode Execution

Compile Time Run Time

• Truth: All major operating systems have

Java runtime environments
– Most bundle it (Linux, Solaris, MacOS, Windows XP)
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Mars Rover Controller

and Simulator

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Java is Cross-Platform?
• Myth: Safety and machine independence
can be achieved with no performance
penalty
– Current systems are about 20% slower than C++
– Upcoming releases claim to lower or eliminate that gap
– I expect the gap to stay at 10% or more
• Myth: Java is interpreted
– Early releases were interpreted
– Many major “Just in Time” (JIT) compilers

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Java is Cross-Platform?
• Myth: Write Once Run Anywhere
– Cross-platform code can be achieved, but you must test
on all platforms you will deliver on.
• Java apps can execute local code
• The graphics library behaves
slightly differently on different platforms
• The behavior of the thread scheduler
is only loosely defined
• Myth: Java will kill Microsoft
– There is also no longer immediate
danger of the reverse (Microsoft killing Java)
– Microsoft wavered between trying to fight Java and
joining it and making money by dominating the market.
With .NET, they are back to fighting it again.
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com
 Java is Simple?
• Truth: Java greatly simplifies several
language features
– Java has automatic memory management
• Does Windows and takes out the garbage
• No dangling pointers. No memory leaks.
– Java simplifies pointer handling
• No explicit reference/dereference operations
– No makefiles for simple applications
– No header files
– C++ syntax streamlined
– C# is comparable to Java, at least as far as the core
language goes.
• For a comparison of Java and C# syntax/constructs, see
http://www.harding.edu/fmccown/java1_5_csharp_comparison.html
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Rapid Application Development

in Java
– Information Retrieval for multi-
gigabyte text corpus (APL RTDC)
– Geoplot for distributed
simulation (APL STD)

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Java is Simple?
• Myth: Java programming is simple

– Programming is always hard

• Java is nothing like HTML;
only a little bit like JavaScript
– Programmers typically push complexity envelope
• Multithreaded and network programming
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Star Office
MS Office Competitor Written in Java

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Java is Powerful?
• Truth: Java has a rich set of standard
libraries
– Networking
– Threads (lightweight processes)
– Distributed objects
– Database access
– Graphics: GUI controls and drawing
– Data structure library
– Arbitrary precision integral and fixed-point arithmetic
– Digital signatures
– Serialization (transmitting/reassembling data structures)
– File and stream compression
– XML parsing
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

MEL - Master Environmental

Library (DMSO)

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Java is Powerful?
• Myth: Java will increase programmer
productivity for all applications by XXX%.
• Myth: Java will kill C++
• Myth: All software should be written in Java
– Unix utilities: C
– Small/medium Windows-only programs: Visual Basic
– String parsing: Perl
– High-performance, single-platform OO systems: C++
– Air traffic control, aircraft flight software: Ada
– Knowledge-based systems: Lisp/CLOS
– High-performance number crunching: FORTRAN
– Java also a good alternative for many of these
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Java and C++

Although Java will certainly not
kill off C++, Java and C++ do
compete for some of the same
territory.

Hmm, does The C++ Report think

that the way to keep your C++
code robust is to port it to Java?

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Key Java Packages
and Protocols
• Core Technologies
– JDBC
– RMI (and Jini)
– JavaBeans
– Swing
– Java 2D
• Standard Extensions
– Servlets
(and JavaServer Pages)
– Enterprise Java Beans (and JNDI)
– Java 3D

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Java Packages and Protocols:

JDBC (Java DataBase Connectivity)
• Standardizes mechanism for making
connection to database server
– Requires server-specific driver on client. No change to
server.
• Standardizes mechanism for sending
queries
– Either regular or parameterized queries (stored
procedures)
• Standardizes data structure of query result
– Assumes relational data, so data structure is a table
• Does not standardize SQL syntax
– Queries are simply strings
– Server extensions and enhancements supported
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com
Java Packages and Protocols:
Remote Method Invocation (RMI)
• Built-in Distributed Object Protocol
– RMI lets a developer access a Java object and manipulate
it in the normal manner. Behind the scenes, each function
call really goes over the network to a remote object.
– Arbitrary Java data structures can be sent over the
network with little or no special packaging, due to Java’s
“serialization” mechanism
– Similar to a simplified CORBA, but restricted to
Java-to-Java communication
• Jini
– RMI-based protocol for self-documenting services.
– Allows real “plug and play” -- no separate drivers
– Jury is out on eventual success. Security and industry
adoption are open questions Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Java Packages and Protocols:

JavaBeans
• JavaBeans is to Java as ActiveX is to
Visual C++.
– Lets you package a Java program
as a software “component”
– Visual tools can modify/manipulate
it without knowing anything about
it in advance
• For example, you can drop a Bean into
Visual Café, IBM VisualAge for Java,
Inprise (Borland) JBuilder, Sybase PowerJ,
Metrowerks CodeWarrior, Sun JavaWorkshop, etc., and it
is automatically available from their tool palette for drag-
and-drop development
– Better security and portability than ActiveX
– More ActiveX components available
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com
Java Packages and Protocols:
Swing
• Standard GUI-control (widget) library in
Java 2
• Many more built-in controls
• Much more flexible and customizable
• Includes many small features aimed at
commercial applications
– Tooltips, tabbed panes, on-line
help, HTML support, dockable
toolbars, multi-document
interface, etc.
• Look and feel can be
changed at run time
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Java Packages and Protocols:

Java 2D
• Standard drawing library in Java 2
• Many new drawing attributes
– Fill patterns and images
– Arbitrary fonts
– Pen thicknesses and dashing patterns
– Color mixing rules and transparency
• Coordinate transformations
– Floating-point coordinate system
– Mapping from memory coords to
screen or printer coords
– Affine transforms: translate, scale,
rotate, and shear
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com
Java Packages and Protocols:
Java 3D
• Standard extension to Java
– Not part of “core” Java language like Java 2D
• Built on top of Direct3D or OpenGL,
depending on platform
• Scene-graph based model, not primarily
immediate-mode rendering

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Java Packages and Protocols:

Servlets and JavaServer Pages (JSP)
• Servlets: Java’s answer to CGI
– Efficient: thread, not process, per request
– Convenient: HTTP headers, cookies, etc.
– Powerful: persistence, session tracking, etc.
– Secure: no buffer overflows or shell escapes
• JavaServer Pages (JSP)
– Convenient and efficient way to combine servlets and
HTML. Portable alternative to ASP & ColdFusion.
• Very widely supported:
– Supported by servers from Apache,
IBM, BEA, Oracle, etc.
– Used in Web sites of ebay.com,
travelocity.com, walmart.com,
orbitz.com, hotels.com, NY stock
exchange, sears.com, IRS, GSA,
Army, Navy, CIA, NSA, etc. Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com
Java Packages and Protocols:
Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB)
• EJBs are to server components
what regular JavaBeans are to
application components
– Standardizes access to
services like load balancing,
persistence, failover, etc.
– Builds on JavaBeans, CORBA,
and RMI
“under the hood”
– Potentially accessible via non-Java programs
• Application Servers Supporting EJB
– BEA WebLogic, IBM WebSphere, Netscape/iPlanet,
Oracle, Progress SW Apptivity, NetDynamics, Sybase,
Bluestone, Saphire/Web etc.

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

The Future: Java is Driving the

Software Industry?
• Most popular and in-demand
programming languages as of July 2008
– According to empirical Web data based on index from
TPCI. See http://www.tiobe.com/tpci.htm
• Java
• C
• C++
• Visual Basic
• PHP
• Perl
• Python
• C#
• JavaScript
• Ruby
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com
 © 2008 Marty Hall

Getting Started

Customized Java EE Training: http://courses.coreservlets.com/

Servlets, JSP, Struts, JSF/MyFaces/Facelets, Ajax, GWT, Java 5 or 6, etc. Spring/Hibernate coming soon.
Developed and taught by well-known author and developer. At public venues or onsite at your location.

Which Java Version Should

You Use?
• Applets
– Separate Java Plug-In is required in all recent browsers
• Most Java applet sites (e.g., Yahoo! Games) use Java 1.4
– Use JDK 1.1 (!) if you want to support very old browsers.
– Use Java 6 (aka JDK 1.6) for class
• Desktop Applications
– For best portability to existing deployments, use JDK 1.5
– For best power and speed, use Java 6 (aka 1.6)
• If you install, use 1.6
• Server-Side Applications
– Use 1.4-1.6, depending on what existing servers use
– If you can choose, use 1.6 (but 1.5 still more popular)
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com
Getting Started: Nuts and Bolts
• Install Java (use Java 6 for class)
– JDK 6: http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp
• Get SE (Standard Edition), not EE (Enterprise Edition)
• Get JDK, not just JRE
• Do not get version bundled with NetBeans IDE
• If you install after installing browser, system will install
plugin automatically.
• Bookmark or install the Java Documentation
– http://java.sun.com/javase/6/docs/api/
– http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/api/
• All links above
– http://www.apl.jhu.edu/~hall/java/
• Also links to tutorials, editors, IDEs, etc.
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Eclipse: Overview
• Overview
– Eclipse is a a free open source IDE for Java. Support for
Java, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, C++, PHP, and more.
• Download from http://eclipse.org/
• Choose Java EE version
– As of July 2008, called "Eclipse Ganymede"
• Features
– Checks your syntax as you type
– Automatically compiles every time you save file
– Many tools: refactoring, visual GUI builders, debuggers,
templates for common tasks, etc.
• Low learning curve: beginners can use Eclipse without
knowing these tools
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com
Eclipse: Running Programs
• Executing program from existing project
– Open existing
project
– Double click
Java file to
bring it up in editor
– R-click anywhere
in code
– Select Run As Æ
Java Application
– Output goes in
Console at bottom
• Note: Class must
have a "main" method Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Eclipse: Making Projects

• Creating new project
– File Æ New Æ Java Project
• Pick any name
• To simplify applets later,
choose Sources/Classes
in same folder
• Creating new class
– R-click Æ New Æ Class
• You can choose to have
Eclipse make "main"
automatically
– You can also copy/paste
existing class then
give it new name
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com
Creating and Running Program:
Manual Approach
• Create the File
– Write and save a file (say Test.java) that defines
public class Test
– File and class names are case sensitive
• Compile the program
– Compile Test.java through
> javac Test.java
• This step creates a file called Test.class
– If you get a “deprecation” warning, this means you are
using a Java construct that has a newer alternative (i.e., it
still works but is not recommended)
• Use “javac -deprecation Test.java” for an explanation, then
look the newer construct up in the on-line API
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Creating and Running Program:

Manual Approach (Continued)
• Run the program
– For a stand-alone application, run it with

> java Test

• Note that the command is java, not javac, and that you
refer to Test, not Test.class

– To run applets
• Load the HTML page that refers to it

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Using a Smart Editor or IDE
• Manual • Editor or IDE
– Create file – Create file
• Notepad or any editor • Editor such as TextPad,
– Compile file UltraEdit, or jEdit
• Open DOS window • IDE such as Eclipse, IDEA,
• Type "javac MyClass.java" JBuilder, or NetBeans
– Execute program – Compile file
• Open DOS window • Build/Make/Compile from
within editor
• Type "java MyClass"
• Many IDEs (e.g., Eclipse)
compile automatically when
file is saved
– Execute program
• Run from within editor/IDE

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Basic Hello World Application

• “Application” is Java lingo for a stand-alone
Java program
– Note that the class name and the filename must match
– A file can contain multiple classes, but only one can be
declared public, and that one’s name must match the
filename

• File HelloWorld.java:
public class HelloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("Hello, world.");
}
}
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com
 Basic Hello World Application
(Continued)
• Compiling:
javac HelloWorld.java

• Running:
java HelloWorld

• Output:
Hello, world.

Important: on some recent versions of TextPad, you have to enable

Java support. Go to Configure, Preferences, Tools, and add Java entries.
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Command Line Arguments

• File ShowArgs.java:
public class ShowArgs {
public static void main(String[] args) {
for(int i=0; i<args.length; i++) {
System.out.println("Arg " + i + " is "
+ args[i]);
}
}
}
• Differences from C
– In Java, String is a real type
– Java arrays have an associated length
– The filename is not part of the command line arguments
• Eclipse
– To assign command line args: R-click, Run As, Run
Configurations, Arguments tab Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com
Command Line Arguments,
Results
• Compiling and Running:

> javac ShowArgs.java

> java ShowArgs fee fie foe fum

Arg 0 is fee
Arg 1 is fie
Arg 2 is foe
Arg 3 is fum

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Command Line Arguments:

the for/each Loop
• File ShowArgs2.java:
public class ShowArgs2 {
public static void main(String[] args) {
for(String arg: args) {
System.out.println("Command line arg: "
+ arg);
}
}
}
• Differences from C
– New loop construct

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Command Line Arguments,
Results
• Compiling and Running:

> javac ShowArgs2.java

> java ShowArgs2 fee fie foe fum

Command line arg: fee
Command line arg: fie
Command line arg: foe
Command line arg: fum

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Basic Hello WWW Applet

• File HelloWWW.java:
import java.applet.Applet;
import java.awt.*;

public class HelloWWW extends Applet {

public void init() {
setBackground(Color.gray);
setForeground(Color.white);
setFont(new Font("SansSerif", Font.BOLD, 30));
}

public void paint(Graphics g) {

g.drawString("Hello, World Wide Web.", 5, 35);
}
} Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com
Basic Hello WWW Applet
(Continued)
• File HelloWWW.html:
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0
Transitional//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>HelloWWW: Simple Applet Test.</TITLE>
</HEAD>

<BODY>
<H1>HelloWWW: Simple Applet Test.</H1>

<APPLET CODE="HelloWWW.class" WIDTH=400 HEIGHT=40>

<B>Error! You must use a Java enabled browser.</B>
</APPLET>

</BODY>
</HTML>
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Basic Hello WWW Applet

(Continued)
• Compiling
– Eclipse: save the file
– Manual: javac HelloWWW.java
• Running:
Load HelloWWW.html in a Java-enabled browser
With Eclipse, navigate to folder on file system, then double
click HTML file or drag it onto browser

Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

Summary
• Java is a general purpose language
– Supporting standalone applications, browser-based applets, and
server-side programs (servlets, etc.)
• Java is compiled to bytecode
– Which can be run on any platform that supports a Java Virtual
Machine
• Java has multiple editions
– Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition, or Micro Edition
• Compiling: use “javac”
– Done automatically when you save in Eclipse
• Executing standalone programs: use “java”
– In Eclipse, R-click, Run As, Java Application
• Running applets: load HTML file in browser
– Browsers require Java plug-in
Java EE training: http://courses.coreservlets.com

© 2008 Marty Hall

Questions?
Customized Java EE Training: http://courses.coreservlets.com/
Servlets, JSP, Struts, JSF/MyFaces/Facelets, Ajax, GWT, Java 5 or 6, etc. Spring/Hibernate coming soon.
Developed and taught by well-known author and developer. At public venues or onsite at your location.