This chapter will give you an appreciation of what the Java language is all about. Understanding the details of what I’ll discuss in this chapter is not important at this stage; you will see all of the
topics again in greater depth in later chapters of the book. The intent of this chapter is to introduce you to the general ideas that underpin what I’ll be covering through the rest of the book, as well as the major contexts in which Java programs can be used and the kind of program that is applicable in each context. In this chapter you will learn:
❑ The basic characteristics of the Java language
❑ How Java programs work on your computer
❑ Why Java programs are portable between different computers
❑ The basic ideas behind object-oriented programming
❑ How a simple Java program looks and how you can run it using the Java Development Kit
❑ What HTML is and how it is used to include a Java program in a web page
