Java Network Programming, Second Edition

Chapter 1. Why Networked Java?

Java is the first programming language designed from the ground up with networking in mind. As the global Internet continues to grow, Java is uniquely suited to build the next generation of network applications. Java provides solutions to a number of problems—platform independence, security, and international character sets being the most important—that are crucial to Internet applications, yet difficult to address in other languages. Together, these and other Java features allow web surfers to quickly download and execute untrusted programs from a web site without worrying that the program may spread a virus, steal their data, or crash their systems. Indeed, the intrinsic safety of a Java applet is far greater than that of shrink-wrapped software.

One of the biggest secrets about Java is that it makes writing network programs easy. In fact, it is far easier to write network programs in Java than in almost any other language. This book shows you dozens of complete programs that take advantage of the Internet. Some are simple textbook examples, while others are completely functional applications. One thing you’ll note in the fully functional applications is just how little code is devoted to networking. Even in network-intensive programs like web servers and clients, almost all the code handles data manipulation or the user interface. The part of the program that deals with the network is almost always the shortest and simplest.

In short, it is easy ...