Study guide: Applications, applets, and hybrids

Brush up on Java terms, learn tips and cautions, review homework assignments, and read Jeff’s answers to student questions

INDEXHEAD: Glossary of terms

application: A standalone program consisting of at least one class with a main() method.
applet: An application that runs in the context of a Web browser that controls the applet.
applet parameter: An external name/value pair that provides configuration information to an applet.
hybrid: A program that can run as either a standalone application or a browser-dependent applet.

INDEXHEAD: Tips and cautions

These tips and cautions will help you write better programs and save you from agonizing over why the compiler produces error messages.

In public static void main(String [] args), you do not need to specify args. You can specify any legal identifier in place of args.
Case is not significant in the filename that you specify with appletviewer. For example, either appletviewer Lifecycle.html or appletviewer lIFEcyCle.html is valid.

You must always specify the .java file extension when using Sun’s javac compiler to compile a source file.
You must never specify the .class file extension when using Sun’s java application launcher to run an application.

INDEXHEAD: Miscellaneous notes and thoughts

INDEXHEAD: Homework

Compile the source code in “Applications, Applets, and Hybrids and run the resulting class files.

You’ll find all source and resource files such as duke.gif and giggle.wav in http://www.javaworld.com/jw-11-2000/java101/jw-1103-java101.zip.