Java Development Definitions

This glossary explains the meaning of key words and phrases that information technology (IT) and business professionals use when discussing servers and related software products. You can find additional definitions by visiting WhatIs.com or using the search box below.

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  • A

    abstract class

    An abstract class is a template definition of methods and variables in a specific class, or category of objects.

  • AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML)

    AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) is a technique aimed at creating better and faster interactive web apps by combining several programming tools including JavaScript, dynamic HTML (DHTML) and Extensible Markup Language (XML).

  • Apache Solr

    Apache Solr is an open source search platform built upon a Java library called Lucene.

  • B

    What is a bitwise operator?

    A bitwise operator is a character that represents an action taken on data at the bit level, as opposed to bytes or larger units of data.

  • C

    const

    Const (constant) in programming is a keyword that defines a variable or pointer as unchangeable.

  • CSS (cascading style sheets)

    This definition explains the meaning of cascading style sheets (CSS) and how using them with HTML pages is a user interface (UI) development best practice that complies with the separation of concerns design pattern.

  • E

    embedded Tomcat

    An embedded Tomcat server consists of a single Java web application along with a full Tomcat server distribution, packaged together and compressed into a single JAR, WAR or ZIP file.

  • Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB)

    Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) is an architecture for setting up program components, written in the Java programming language, that run in the server parts of a computer network that uses the client/server model.

  • exception handler

    An exception handler is code that stipulates what a program will do when an anomalous or exceptional event occurs and disrupts the normal flow of that program's instructions.

  • F

    full-stack developer

    A full-stack developer is a type of programmer that has a functional knowledge of all techniques, languages and systems engineering concepts required in software development.

  • G

    git stash

    Git stash is a built-in command that stores, or stashes, changes in the software development tool Git that aren't yet ready to be committed.

  • Groovy

    Groovy is a dynamic object-oriented programming language for the Java virtual machine (JVM) that can be used anywhere Java is used.

  • What is GraalVM?

    GraalVM is a tool for developers to write and execute Java code.

  • H

    Hibernate

    Hibernate is an open source object relational mapping (ORM) tool that provides a framework to map object-oriented domain models to relational databases for web applications.

  • HTML (Hypertext Markup Language)

    HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) is a text-based approach to describing how content contained within an HTML file is structured.

  • I

    What is inversion of control (IoC)?

    Inversion of control, also known as the Hollywood Principle, changes the control flow of an application and allows developers to sidestep some typical configuration hassles.

  • J

    JAR file (Java Archive)

    A Java Archive, or JAR file, contains all of the various components that make up a self-contained, executable Java application, deployable Java applet or, most commonly, a Java library to which any Java Runtime Environment can link.

  • Java

    Java is a widely used programming language expressly designed for coding applications and services used in the distributed environment of the internet.

  • Java assert

    The Java assert is a mechanism used primarily in nonproduction environments to test for extraordinary conditions that will never be encountered unless a bug exists somewhere in the code.

  • Java Authentication and Authorization Service (JAAS)

    The Java Authentication and Authorization Service (JAAS) is a set of application program interfaces (APIs) that can determine the identity of a user or computer attempting to run Java code, and ensure that the entity has the privilege or permission to execute the functions requested... (Continued)

  • Java compiler

    A Java compiler is a program that takes the text file work of a developer and compiles it into a platform-independent Java file.

  • Java Cryptography Extension (JCE)

    The Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) is an application program interface (API) that provides a uniform framework for the implementation of security features in Java.

  • Java Database Connectivity (JDBC)

    Java Database Connectivity (JDBC) is an API packaged with the Java SE edition that makes it possible to connect from a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) to external, relational database systems.

  • Java Development Kit (JDK)

    The Java Development Kit (JDK) provides the foundation upon which all applications that are targeted toward the Java platform are built.

  • Java Mission Control

    Java Mission Control is a performance-analysis tool that renders sampled JVM metrics in easy-to-understand graphs, tables, histograms, lists and charts.

  • Java Runtime Environment (JRE)

    The Java Runtime Environment (JRE), also known as Java Runtime, is the part of the Java Development Kit (JDK) that contains and orchestrates the set of tools and minimum requirements for executing a Java application.

  • Java string

    A Java string is a sequence of characters that exists as an object of the class java.lang.

  • Java virtual machine (JVM)

    A Java virtual machine (JVM), an implementation of the Java Virtual Machine Specification, interprets compiled Java binary code (called bytecode) for a computer's processor (or "hardware platform") so that it can perform a Java program's instructions.

  • JAVA_HOME

    JAVA_HOME is an operating system (OS) environment variable which can optionally be set after either the Java Development Kit (JDK) or the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) is installed.

  • JavaScript

    JavaScript is a programming language that started off simply as a mechanism to add logic and interactivity to an otherwise static Netscape browser.

  • JAX-WS (Java API for XML Web Services)

    Java API for XML Web Services (JAX-WS) is one of a set of Java technologies used to develop Web services... (Continued)

  • JOLAP (Java Online Analytical Processing)

    JOLAP (Java Online Analytical Processing) is a Java application-programming interface (API) for the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) environment that supports the creation, storage, access, and management of data in an online analytical processing (OLAP) application.

  • JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)

    JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a text-based, human-readable data interchange format used to exchange data between web clients and web servers.

  • just-in-time compiler (JIT)

    A just-in-time (JIT) compiler is a program that turns bytecode into instructions that can be sent directly to a computer's processor (CPU).

  • Jython

    Jython is an open source implementation of the Python programming language, integrated with the Java platform.

  • What is Java Flight Recorder and how does it work?

    Java Flight Recorder is a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) profiler that gathers performance metrics without placing a significant load on resources.

  • What is jQuery?

    jQuery is an open-sourced JavaScript library that simplifies creation and navigation of web applications.

  • K

    What is Kebab case?

    Kebab case -- or kebab-case -- is a programming variable naming convention where a developer replaces the spaces between words with a dash.

  • M

    What is Mojo programming language and what is it used for?

    Mojo is a high-performance programming language initially designed to unify and simplify the development of applications across all layers of the AI stack.

  • N

    NetBeans

    NetBeans is a Java-based integrated development environment (IDE). The term also refers to the IDE’s underlying application platform framework. 

  • O

    object-relational mapping (ORM)

    Object-relational mapping (ORM) is a way to align programming code with database structures.

  • Open Service Gateway Initiative (OSGi)

    OSGi (Open Service Gateway Initiative) is an industry plan for a standard way to connect devices such as home appliances and security systems to the Internet.

  • OpenJDK

    OpenJDK is a free, open-source version of the Java Development Kit for the Java Platform, Standard Edition (Java SE).

  • P

    prettyprint

    Prettyprint is the process of converting and presenting source code or other objects in a legible and attractive way.

  • What is Pascal case?

    Pascal case is a naming convention in which developers start each new word in a variable with an uppercase letter.

  • R

    Remote Method Invocation (RMI)

    Remote Method Invocation (RMI) is an application programming interface (API) in the Java programming language and development environment.

  • S

    snake case

    Snake case is a naming convention where a developer replaces spaces between words with an underscore.

  • Sun Microsystems

    Sun Microsystems (often just called "Sun"), the leading company in computers used as Web servers, also makes servers designed for use as engineering workstations, data storage products, and related software.