Java(TM) is a programming language environment designed by Sun Microsystems. Applets are small programs, written in compiled Java code, that run inside browser under security supervision. JavaScript is a script designed by Netscape and is not used inside Java applets.

Tutorial and Quiz

One of our programmers, Bavo, wrote a step-by-step Java(TM) tutorial on how to make your own Java(TM) Applets. It starts from scratch and works up until double buffering and threads.
Click here to read it.

Bavo also wrote an advanced Java(TM) quiz with Geoffrey's QuizMaster.
Click here to take it.

Programs, documentation and books

Most Java programmers use Sun's JDK (Java Development Kit) to compile their Java(TM) source files into runnable class files and Sun's JRE (Java Runtime Environment) to run their compiled class files. There are several editions of Java(TM): standard edition (J2SE), enterprise edition (J2EE) and micro edition (J2ME). Applets and normal applications require the standard edition(J2SE). We hope you find the following resources useful in your quest to learn Java(TM):

• Java(TM) 2 Development Kit: Download the latest Java 2 SDK, the mother of all Java compilers.
• NetBeans: An open source IDE, written in Java(TM). It has many features but is also known for its complexity.
• TextPad: A simple text editor, used by many Java(TM) programmers.

This is a list of useful documentation:

• Sun's JavaSoft: The place for anything about Java.
• Java 2 API: Information about all standard available classes in Java.
• JavaRanch: A funny, but useful site about Java with tutorials and forums.

This is a list of useful books:

• Teach Yourself Java 2: A good book for people who want to learn programming from scratch.
• Learning Java: A good book for programmers willing to learn Java and it's OOP.
• Developing Java Servlets: A good book for the intermediate Java programmer to learn the basics of Servlets.
• Java Threads: A good book for the advanced Java programmer to learn the complete complexity of Threads.

Individual problem solving

Please note that we can not help people by e-mail concerning individual Java programming problems. We hope you can understand that we already have a lot of work answering daily help mail just about installing and customizing our own applets.

However there are a few good services that can help you with individual programming problems:

• The newsgroup comp.lang.java.help: On this newsgroup many Java(TM) experts and newbies alike gather and answer questions for free. Keep your questions friendly and make the detailed by adding a small part of code and your question will most likely be answered within 24 hours. Please keep in mind that nobody is obligated to answer you, though many programmers donate their time in solving questions posted there.
• The JavaBoutique Java(TM) forum: Ask your Java programming question, or offer sage advice to others on this helpful forum.
• The #java IRC channel: Many IRC networks have a #java channel were programmers gather. Join the channel on your favorite IRC network and there might be some people there who can help you in real-time.
• HotDispatch: This is a credit based professional problem solving service. You get a few starting credits, but unless you are able to answer some questions yourself, you'll have to invest.