Java™ Media APIs: Cross-Platform Imaging, Media, and Visualization

Evolution of Graphics and Imaging on the Java Platform

Java-based imaging has progressed through three main stages: the AWT model, the Java 2D API extensions to that model, and the Java Advanced Imaging (JAI) API extensions to the Java 2D API. All the major parts of Java 2D and JAI can ultimately trace their lineage to the AWT model. That said, the AWT model is fairly simple and will receive attention only as needed to explain Java 2D and JAI concepts. The beginning reader will want to become familiar with a set of core packages, especially java.awt and java.awt.image and will want to bookmark the following URLs:

http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.3/docs/api/java/awt/package-summary.html

http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.3/docs/api/java/awt/Image.html

It should ...