Why Java is Important to the Internet--- Web programming

Why Java is Important to the Internet

The internet helped catapult Java to the forefront of programming, and Java, in turn has had a profound effect on  the Internet. The reason for this is quite simple: Java expands the universe of objects that can move about freely in cyberspace.

In a network, two very broad categories of objects are transmitted between server and your personal computer: passive information and dynamic, active program. For example, when you need your email, your are viewing passive data. Even when you download programs, the program’s code is still only passive data until you execute it. However, a second type of object can be transmitted to your computer: a dynamic, self executing program.

Such a program is an active agent on the client computer, yet is initiated by the server. For example, a program might be provided by the server to display properly the data that the server is sending.

As desirable as dynamic, networked programs are, they also present serious problems in the areas of security and portability. Prior to Java, cyberspace was effectively closed half the entities that now live here. As you will see, Java addresses those concerns and, by doing so, has opened the door to an exciting new form of program: the applet.

Java Applets and Application

Java can be used to create two types of programs: application and applets. An application is a program that runs on your computer, under operating system of the computer. That is, an application created by Java is more or less like one created using or C++. When used to create application, Java is not much different from any other programming language.

Rather, it is Java’s ability to create applets that makes it important.

Applets

An Applet is an application designed to be transmitted over the internet and executed by a Java-compatible Web browser. An Applet is actually a tiny Java program, dynamically downloaded across the network, just like an image, sound file, or video file. The important difference is that an Applet is an intelligent program, not just an animations or media file.

As exciting as applets are, they would be nothing more than wishful thinking if Java were not able to address the two fundamental problems associated with them: Security and Portability