A Sun Microsystems initiative to guide developers in
writing, certifying, and marketing applications written entirely in the
Java(TM) programming language.
Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT)
A collection of graphical user interface (GUI) components that were implemented using native-platform versions of the components. These components provide that subset of functionality which is common to all native platforms. Largely supplanted by the Project Swing component set. See alsoSwing Set
Abstract
A Java(TM) programming
language keyword used in a class definition to specify that a class is not
to be instantiated, but rather inherited by other classes. An abstract
class can have abstract methods that are not implemented in the abstract
class, but in subclasses.
Abstract class
A class that contains one or more abstract methods, and therefore can never be
instantiated. Abstract classes are defined so that other classes can
extend them and make them concrete by implementing the abstract
methods.
Abstract method
A method that has no implementation.
Access control
The methods by which interactions with resources are
limited to collections of users or programs for the purpose of enforcing
integrity, confidentiality, or availability constraints.
ACID
The acronym for the four properties guaranteed by
transactions: atomicity, consistency, isolation, and durability.
Activation
The process of transferring
an enterprise bean from secondary storage to memory. (See passivation.)
Actual parameter list
The arguments specified in a particular method call. See also formal parameter list.
Alpha value
A value that indicates the opacity of a pixel.
API
Application Programming
Interface. The specification of how a programmer writing an application
accesses the behavior and state of classes and objects.
Applet
A
component that typically executes in a Web browser, but can execute in a
variety of other applications or devices that support the applet
programming model.
Applet container
A container that includes support for the applet
programming model.
Appliances
Networked devices such as printers, Java(TM)
technology-enabled terminals, and clients, that are managed using
applications built using the Java Management API (JMAPI).
Application Assembler
A person that combines components and modules into
larger deployable application units.
Application client
A first-tier client program that executes in its own
Java Virtual Machine.
Application client container
A container that supports application clients and
provides a federated view of the J2EE platform APIs.
Application client module
A software unit that consists of one or more classes
and an application client deployment descriptor.
Application Component Provider
A vendor that provides the Java classes that
implement components' methods, JSP page definitions, and any required
deployment descriptors.
APM
Application Programming
Model. A programming model that defines how to use and combine the
features of the J2EE platform to create solutions for common application
domains in the enterprise.
Argument
A data item specified in a
method call. An argument can be a literal value, a variable, or an
expression.
Array
A
collection of data items, all of the same type, in which each item's
position is uniquely designated by an integer.
ASCII
American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A standard assignment of 7-bit numeric codes to characters. See also Unicode.
Atomic
Refers to an operation that
is never interrupted or left in an incomplete state under any
circumstance.
Authentication
The process by which an
entity proves to another entity that it is acting on behalf of a specific
identity. The J2EE platform requires three types of authentication: basic,
form-based, and mutual.
Authorization
See access control.
Authorization constraint
A set of security roles that are allowed access to the resources in a Web resource collection.
