Java Definitions

relational operator

<, >, <=, >=, ==, =!

attributes

The state of a class's instance and static variables.

Unicode character

A 16-bit set of characters. The character set makes up the unicode standard.

Executable JAR

A JAR file containing a manfest.mf in META-INF directory with the Main-Class attribute set to a class with a public static void main method.

AutoClosable

A Java interface that represents a resource that must be closed when it is no longer needed.

null

A Java keyword representing a reserved constant that points to nothing.

private

A Java keyword that allows class- only access to the associated constructor method or data member.

protected

A Java keyword that allows package-external subclass and packackage only access to the associated constructor method or data member.

public

A Java keyword that allows unrestricted access to the associated constructor method or data member.

package

A Java keyword that begins a statement at the beginning of a class. This statement indicates the package name with which it is associated.

this

A Java keyword that is used to assist in referring to any member of the current object.

char

A Java keyword that is used to define a primitive variable as a specific Unicode character with 2 bytes of storage.

byte

A Java keyword that is used to define a primitive variable as an integer with one byte of storage.

float

A Java keyword that is used to define a primitive variable as as a floating-point number with 4 bytes of storage.

double

A Java keyword that is used to define a primitive variable as as a floating-point number with 8 bytes of storage.

short

A Java keyword that is used to define a primitive variable as as an integer with 2 bytes of storage.

int

A Java keyword that is used to define a primitive variable as as an integer with 4 bytes of storage.

long

A Java keyword that is used to define a primitive variable as as an integer with 8 bytes of storage.

boolean

A Java keyword that is used to define a primitive variable as having a Boolean type with a value of either true or false.

super

A Java keyword used to invoke overridden methods.

class

A Java type that defines the implementation of an object.

Unicode Standard

A character coding system designed to form a universal character set.

String class

A class representing an immutable character string.

concrete class

A class that has all of its methods implemented.

subclass

A class that is derived from another class through inheritance.

superclass

A class used to derive other classes through inheritance.

multi-catch

A clause that allows for multiple exception arguments in one catch clause.

statement

A command that performs an activity when executed by yhe Java interpreter.

polymorphism

A concept that allows data of one type to be handled and referred to by a type that is more general. Generalities can be created by using inheritance and extending classes, or by implementing interfaces.

iteration statement

A control flow through which a statement or block of statements is iterated, based on a maintained state of a variable or expression.

autoboxing

A convenience feature in Java that allows a primitive to be used as its wrapper object class without any special conversion by the developer.

unboxing

A convenience feature that allows a primitive wrapper object to be used as its native primitive without any special conversion.

conditional statement

A decision-making control flow used to execute statements and blocks of statements conditionally

interface

A definition of public methods that must be implemented by a class.

IDE

A development suite that allows developer to edit, compile, debug, connect to version controls systems, collaborate and do much more.

Checkstyle

A development tool that assists programmers to write Java code that adheres to coding Standards

array

A fixed-length group of the same type variables or references that are accessed with an index.

primitive

A fundamental data type that is not an object.

heap

A memory area where objects are stored.

constructor

A method that initializes a new object.

accessor method

A method used to return the value of a private field.

mutator method

A method used to set the value of a private field. setter.

abstract

A modifier that indicates that either a class or method has some behavior that must be implemented by its subclasses.

jConsole

A monitoring and management tool that is part of the JDK. It enables the local or remote monitoring of an applicationto track CPU as well as memory usage.

relative path

A path that is not anchored to the root of the drive. Its resolution depends upon the current drive.

method

A procedure that contains the code for performing operations in a class.

FindBugs

A program that uses static analysis to look for bugs in Java code.

ArrayList

A resizable array implementation of the list interface; an object-oriented representation of an array.

JavaBean

A reusable Java component based on a platform-independent reusable component model in which a standardized means is used to access and modify the state of the bean.

bean

A reusable software component that conforms to design and naming conventions

Swing API

A rich GUI application interface with event model.

JavaFX

A rich client platform that provides a lightweight, hardware-accelerated Java UI platform for enterprise business applications.

application server

A server that hosts various applications and their environments.

library

A set of compiled classes that add functionality to a Java application.

setter

A simple public method that accepts one argument and is used to set the value of an instance variable.

getter

A simple public mthod used to return a private instance variable.

assignment statement

A statement that allows for the definition or redefinition of a variable by assigning it a value.

expression statement

A statement that changes paqrt of the application's state.

try-catch

A statement that contains code to "catch" thrown exceptions from withing the try block, either explicitly or propagated up through method calls.

try-with-resources

A statement that declares resources that can be automatically closed. The objects/resources that are declared must implement AuotoClosable.

declaration

A statement that establishes an identifier with associated attributes.

try-finally

A statement that includes a finally clause that is always executed after successful execution of the try block.

import statement

A statement used in the beginning of a class that allows for external packages to be made availabe within the class.

transfer-of-control statement

A statement used to change the controlled flow in an application. break, continue, return.

pseudo-code

A structured means to allow algorithm designers to express computer programming algorithms in human-readable format.

RuntimeException

A subclass of the class Exception. The superclass of those exceptions that can be thrown during the normal runtime of the JVM.

Error

A subclass of the subclass Throwable. The Error class indicates issues that an application should not try to catch.

Exception

A subclass of the subclass Throwable. The Exception class indicates issues that an application may want to catch.

primitive cast

A technique in Java of changing the primitive data type of a variable to another primitive type.

variable

A term for symbolic reference to data in Java code.

profile

A term used in Java ME to describe more specific features that a JVM target implements.

Javadoc

A tool that produces HTML documentation from extracted comments of Java source code.

try-catch-finally

A try-catch statement that includes a finally clause.

enumeration type

A type with a fixed set of constants as fields.

literal

A value represented as an integer, floating point, or character value that can be stored in a variable.

instance variable

A variable that is declared in the class instead of in a particular method.

static variable

A variable that is declared in the class.

method parameter

A variable that is in scope for the entire method.

local variable

A variable that is in scope only for a single method.

method argument

A variable that is passed to a method.

composition association

A whole-part relationship between classes whereby yhe whole is responsible for the lifetime of its parts.

keyword

A word that cannot be used as an identifier.

XML

Acronym for Exstensible Markup Language.

J2EE

Acronym for Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition. The legacy term for Java EE.

J2ME

Acronym for Java 2 Platform, MicroEdition. The legacy term for Java ME.

J2SE

Acronym for Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition. The legacy term for Java SE.

JDK

Acronym for Java Development Kit. A bundled set of development utilities for compiling, debugging, and interpreting Java applications.

Java EE

Acronym for Java Platform, Enterprise Edition. A software development platform that includes a collection of enterprise API specifications.

Java ME

Acronym for Java Platform, Micro Edition. A software development platform that includes a collection of APIs designed for embedded services

Java SE

Acronym for Java Platform, Standard Edition. A software development platform that includes a collection of APIs designed for client application development.

JRE

Acronym for Java Runtime Environment. An environment used to run Java applications.

JSR

Acronym for Java Specification Request. Formalized documents that are used to request the inclusion of new technologies and specifications into the Java platform.

JAR

Acronym for Java archive. Used to store a collection of Java class file.

JVM

Acronym for Java virtual machine, the platform-independent environment where the Java interpreter executes.

classpath

An environment variable that includes an argument set telling the JVM where to look for user-defined classes.

object

An instance of a class created at run time from a class file.

SVN

An open sourse version control system.

Git

An open-source distributed version control system.

concatenation operator

An operator that is used to join two strings

bitwise operator

An operator that may be used to compare two operands of numeric type or two operands of type boolean. & ^ |

assertions

Boolean expressions that are used to validate whether code functions as expected while debugging.

block

Code placed between matching braces

casting

Converting one type to another

arithmetic operator

Java programming language operator that performs addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, or remainder production operations.

access modifiers

Modifiers that define the access privileges of interfaces, classes, methods, constructors and data members.

logical operator

Perform logical operations such as the Boolean NOT [!], conditional AND [&&], ans conditional OR [||].

POSIX

Portable Operating System Interface. A group of IEEE standards that cover APIs and command line utilities.

postfix increment/decrement operator

Provides a shorthand way of incrementing and decrementing the value of a variable by 1, AFTER the expression has been evaluated.

prefix increment/decrement operator

Provides a shorthand way of incrementing and decrementing the value of a variable by 1, BEFORE the expression has been evaluated.

comment

Text within source files that provide explanations of associated code.

StringBuilder

The StringBuilder class represents a mutable sequence of characters.

inheiritance

The ability of one Java class to extend another and gain its functionality

pass-by-value

The action of passing an argument to a method in which the JVM copies the value for the method. This is how variables are passed.

pass-by-reference

The action of passing an argument to a method in which the JVM gives the method a reference to the same object that was passed to it. this is how objects are passed.

scope

The block of code in which a variable is in existence and may be used.

package-private modifier

The default modifier that allows package-only access to the associated class, interface, constructor, method, or data member.

absolute path

The full path to a directory or file from the root directory

encapsulation

The principle of defining a class that exposes a concise public interface while hiding its implementation details from other classes.

modulus

The remainder production operator. %.