Java is a general-purpose, concurrent, class-based,
object-oriented computer programming language
that is 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 2012, one
of the most popular programming languages in
use, particularly for client-server web applications,
with a reported 10 million users.[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 and GNU Classpath
