Are Java Applets Cross-Platform?
Ans : The Java specification actually consists of two parts, the language specification and the Java runtime environment. The language specification, like any other programming language, is independent of the platform on which it is deployed. Javas runtime environment is a byte code virtual machine (VM) interpreter that allows an applet to run on any given platform. Think of it as a simulated CPU with a platform neutral machine language. The Java compiler compiles Java source code into Java byte code, and this byte code is executed by the virtual machine. Because the Java environment and virtual machine are platform-independent specifications and have been ported to multiple platforms, compiled Java applets are themselves platform-independent. There are two browsers that are currently available (or are about to be available) that run Java applets. HotJava is Suns Java-capable browser (written in Java) that runs on Solaris and Windows NT.