Java Reference
In-Depth Information
CHAPTER
1
Getting Started with Java
When learning a new programming language, students are often anxious to
get started, so let's not waste any time. In this chapter, you will learn why Java
has become one of the most popular programming languages being used
today, even though it is a relatively new language. You will download and
install the necessary software for developing Java programs, and we will go
through the steps of writing, compiling, and running a Java program using the
Java Standard Developer's Kit (SDK) provided by Sun Microsystems.
Why Java?
You might ask, “Why Java?” That's a good question, especially if you are new
to the language and have not heard all the buzz about it yet. How does a pro-
gramming language that has only been around since 1995 and is quite similar
in syntax and design to C++ become so widely adopted? Why not just stick to
languages that have been used for decades: C, C++, COBOL, Fortran, and so on?
Relative to the other programming languages used today, Java is in its
infancy. (Sun Microsystems released the first version of Java in 1995.) Yet Java
1
