Programming Languages -- Spring 1996

An Introduction to Java

Writing Java Programs at IU

The only UNIX on which Sun has released the Java Developer's Kit is Solaris (not surprisingly, as it's the UNIX they're hawking nowadays). Thus, to compile Java programs and to run non-applet Java programs, you must be on a Solaris machine.

Luckily for everyone concerned, the CS department has provided a whole lab full of Solaris machines to its undergraduates: the burrow. If you don't have a burrow account, try to get one here. If that's a problem, get in touch with me as soon as possible.

Once on a burrow machine, add the directory

/l/java/bin

Once that is accomplished, you'll have access to the Java compiler, javac and the Java interpreter/loader, java:

javac filename

compiles a file

java classname

runs java code

Other Resources

A tutorial of sorts is available for Java, as well as all sorts of documentation for both the language and the standard libraries. If you're running on the burrow, you will probably be able to (and probably want to) use the following local copies of the Java documentation tree:

• the tutorial
• the API user's guide
• the FAQ
• another tutorial
• the java specification (compressed postscript)

Legal Niceties

Sun has some kind of legal relationship with the name ``Java'' and/or the product itself. If you care about such things, you can find all sorts of legalese off of Sun's Java page.

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