Java Foundation Classes

The Java Foundation Classes (JFC ) is a collection of application programming interfaces ( APIs) for creating portable Java Graphical User Interfaces ( GUIs). The Java Foundation Classes are defined by the following features: Swing GUI components, pluggable look-and -feel support, the Accessibility, Java 2D, and Internationalization. Together, these the basis for platform-independent Java Smart Client GUIs, regardless of whether the underlying operating system to Windows, Sun Solaris or Linux. For the most current operating systems, there are also implementations.

Components

  • Swing GUI Components & Pluggable Look-and -Feel Support - Swing
  • Basis for Swing components, and layout managers - Abstract Window Toolkit ( AWT)
  • Representation and modification of 2-dimensional objects - Java 2D
  • Accessibility - Java Accessibility API ( JAAPI ) and special enhancements in Swing Components
  • Internationalization - java.util, java.text, Input Method Framework

Differentiation

The Java Foundation Classes constitute a part of the Java desktop APIs and are often used interchangeably with Java Desktop. But part of the Java Desktop APIs following in addition to the above APIs counted:

  • Java Web Start / Java Network Launching Protocol ( JNLP ) - Deploying Java applications via browser
  • Java plug-in - Java plugin for browsers
  • Java 3D - 3D for Java applications
  • Java sound
  • Java Bindings for OpenGL ( JOGL )
  • Java Advanced Imaging ( JAI)
  • JavaBeans
  • JavaHelp system - Integration of online help in Java applications
  • JDesktop Integration Components ( JDIC )

The Java Foundation Classes (and the Java desktop APIs) overlap with the Java Media APIs. This includes the following parts:

  • Java 2D
  • Java 3D
  • Java Advanced Imaging ( JAI)
  • Java Bindings for OpenGL ( JOGL )
  • Java Image I / O API
  • Java Media Framework (JMF )

History

AWT, the time to make only way to user interfaces, has been heavily criticized in the first years of the existence of Java. It is little more than a wrapper around the native graphics capabilities of the platforms that support Java. There was thus no more than the particular platform offered and made ​​it necessary that the developers were received on the differences between the platforms.

Alternative graphics libraries such as the Internet Foundation Classes ( IFC) of Netscape or the Application Foundation Classes ( AFC ) from Microsoft have been developed.

Finally, Sun and Netscape announced on 2 April 1997, the Internet Foundation Classes, joined with other technologies and expanded to include the ability of Pluggable Look-and- Feels bring out under the name " Java Foundation Classes ". Swing was first delivered in late 1997 with the JDK 1.1.5 as an external library, the Java Foundation Classes are since JDK 1.2 ( "Java 2") end of 1998, an integral part of the Java runtime environment.

The release of the Java Foundation Classes made ​​other approaches for representing Java GUIs, hence the Internet Foundation Classes and the Application Foundation Classes obsolete.

Java OpenGL Java Development Kit
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