Java Architecture

The Java environment is composed of a number of system components. You use these components at compile time to create the Java program and at run time to execute the program. Java achieves its independence by creating programs designed to run on the Java Virtual Machine rather than any specific computer system.

• After you write a Java program, you use a compiler that reads the statements in the program and translates them into a machine independent format called bytecode.
• Bytecode files, which are very compact, are easily transported through a distributed system like the Internet.
• The compiled Java code (resulting byte code) will be executed at run time.

Java programs can be written and executed in two ways:

• Stand-alone application (A Java Swing Application).
• Applet which runs on a web browser (Example: Internet Explorer).