Java Pocket Guide, 4th Edition

Chapter 9. Java Platform, Standard Edition

The Java Platform, Standard Edition (SE), includes the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and its encompassing Java Development Kit (JDK; see Chapter 10), the Java Programming Language, Java Virtual Machines (JVMs), tools/utilities, and the Java SE API libraries. A variety of platforms are available including Windows, macOS, Linux, and Solaris.

Common Java SE API Libraries

Java SE 9 API standard libraries are provided within packages (and modules). Each package is made up of classes and/or interfaces. An abbreviated list of commonly used packages is represented here to demonstrate the capabilities of the API. They are listed outside of the module ordering in JDK 9.

Java SE provides the JavaFX runtime libraries from Java SE 7 update 6 and JavaFX 2.2 onwards. Jav⁠aFX has replaced the Swing API as the primary client UI library for Java SE.

Language and Utility Libraries

java.lang

Language support: system/math methods, fundamental types, strings, threads, and exceptions

java.lang.annotation

Annotation framework: metadata library support

java.lang.instrument

Program instrumentation: agent services to instrument JVM programs

java.lang.invoke

Dynamic Language Support: supported by core classes and VM

java.lang.management

Java Management Extensions API: JVM monitoring and management

java.lang.module

Module descriptors and configurations support

java.lang.ref

Reference-object classes: interaction support with the GC

java.lang.reflect ...