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What is JDK?

Too many terminologies!

There are a lot of terminologies and abbreviations to learn when studying Java, and as a beginner, some of these things might not fully make sense.

We highly recommend simply exposing yourself to these terms rather than memorizing, then move into the coding sections. Use this entire Java Background section as a reference as you learn!

Java Development Kit (JDK) is a software development kit used for developing Java applications. It is a collection of tools and resources that provide an environment for writing, compiling, and running Java programs. In this article, we'll take a closer look at what JDK is, what it includes, and how to download and install it.

What is JDK?​

JDK is a software development kit that provides a set of tools and resources for developing Java applications. It includes the Java Compiler, Java Virtual Machine (JVM), and other development tools and libraries. JDK is used to write, compile, and run Java programs.

JDK is designed to be platform-independent, which means that it can run on any platform that supports Java. This makes it possible to develop Java applications on one platform and run them on another platform without any modifications.

What does JDK include?​

JDK includes several components that are used for developing Java applications. Here are some of the most important components:

  • Java Compiler: The Java Compiler is used to compile Java source code into bytecode that can be executed by the JVM.
  • Java Virtual Machine (JVM): The JVM is the runtime environment that executes Java bytecode. It is responsible for loading classes, allocating memory, and executing bytecode.
  • Development Tools: JDK includes several development tools such as the Java debugger, Java documentation generator, and the Java jar archiver.
  • Libraries: JDK includes several libraries that provide functionality for common programming tasks, such as networking, database access, and user interface development.

How to download and install JDK?​

To download and install JDK, follow these steps:

  1. Visit the official Oracle website: https://www.oracle.com/java/technologies/javase-downloads.html
  2. Select the version of JDK that you want to download.
  3. Accept the license agreement and click the download button.
  4. Once the download is complete, run the installer and follow the prompts to install JDK on your computer.
  5. Set the PATH environment variable to point to the JDK installation directory.
  6. Verify the installation by running the "java -version" command in a terminal window. If JDK is installed correctly, it will display the version number of JDK.