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Java is a computer programming language that is
concurrent, class-based, object-oriented, and
specifically designed to have as few
implementation dependencies as possible. It is
intended to let application developers "write
once, run anywhere" (WORA), meaning that code
that runs on one platform does not need to be
recompiled to run on another. Java applications
are typically compiled to bytecode (class file)
that can run on any Java virtual machine (JVM)
regardless of computer architecture. Java is, as
of 2014, one of the most popular programming
languages in use, particularly for client-server
web applications, with a reported 9 million
developers.[10][11] Java was originally
developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems
(which has since merged into Oracle Corporation)
and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun
Microsystems' Java platform. The language
derives much of its syntax from C and C++, but
it has fewer low-level facilities than either of
them.
The original and reference implementation Java
compilers, virtual machines, and class libraries
were developed by Sun from 1991 and first
released in 1995. As of May 2007, in compliance
with the specifications of the Java Community
Process, Sun relicensed most of its Java
technologies under the GNU General Public
License. Others have also developed alternative
implementations of these Sun technologies, such
as the GNU Compiler for Java (bytecode
compiler), GNU Classpath (standard libraries),
and IcedTea-Web (browser plugin for applets).
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