This document provides an overview of the Java programming language. It discusses Java as both a programming language and platform. Key points include:
- Java is an object-oriented, platform-independent language that is compiled to bytecode that runs on a Java Virtual Machine.
- Java applications, applets, and servlets can be developed. Applets run in web browsers while applications and servlets run on servers.
- Java's features include simplicity, security, reliability, portability and multi-threading capabilities.
- The history of Java's development at Sun Microsystems in the 1990s is summarized, along with its growth in popularity for internet programming.