Learning Java, 3rd Edition

Glossary

abstract

The abstract keyword is used to declare abstract methods and classes. An abstract method has no implementation defined; it is declared with arguments and a return type as usual, but the body enclosed in curly braces is replaced with a semicolon. The implementation of an abstract method is provided by a subclass of the class in which it is defined. If an abstract method appears in a class, the class is also abstract.

annotations

Metadata added to Java source code using the @ tag syntax. Annotations can be used by the compiler or at runtime to augment classes, provide data or mappings, or flag additional services.

Ant

A popular, XML-based build tool for Java applications. Ant builds can compile, package, and deploy Java source code as well as generate documentation and perform other activities through pluggable “targets.”

API (Application Programmer Interface)

An API consists of the methods and variables programmers use to work with a component or tool in their applications. The Java language APIs consist of the classes and methods of the java.lang, java.util, java.io, java.text, and java.net packages and many others.

applet

An embedded Java application that runs in the context of an applet viewer, such as a web browser.

<applet> tag

An HTML tag that embeds an applet within a web document.

appletviewer

Sun’s application that runs and displays Java applets outside of a web browser.

application

A Java program that runs standalone, as compared with an applet.

apt (Annotation Processing ...