Sun Delivers Robust Java Platform Update; JavaSoft Announces JDK 1.1, Including Stringent Compatibility Tests

Business Wire, Dec 3, 1996

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 3, 1996--Sun Microsystems, Inc.'s JavaSoft business unit today announced major quality, performance and feature enhancements to the Java(TM) platform. Since its introduction less than a year and a half ago, Java has become the industry's open, platform-independent standard for developing software applications for network computing.

The Java Development Kit (JDK(TM))1.1, which includes new versions of the Java(TM) Virtual Machine, Java class libraries, and development tools, will incorporate support for developing and deploying applications in international languages and major enhancements to the abstract windowing toolkit.

JDK 1.1 also adds several new features in high demand among Java developers, including JDBC(TM) for database connectivity, RMI for remote object access, and foundation support for JavaBeans(TM) component development. Applications created with previous versions of the JDK are fully compatible with JDK 1.1, which will ship the first quarter of 1997. The JDK 1.1 beta will be available for download on December 9, 1996 at http://java.sun.com

The JDK plus JavaOS(TM) and HotJava(TM) Views, the recently announced "webtop" user environment, are the foundation technologies for Java(TM) Computing.

"We published an ambitious timeline for Java in May and we're now delivering on that promise," said Jon Kannegaard, vice president of software products at JavaSoft. "Every step we've taken during 1996 -- from JDBC to JavaBeans -- has been designed to satisfy developer demand to create the ideal network computing platform. And we didn't build it alone -- we are working with more than 100 collaborators to evolve the Java platform quickly, based on best-of-breed industry technologies."

The Java Platform Matures

JDK 1.1 provides a complete platform for developing and deploying network-based applications throughout enterprises and across the Internet. Many Java licensees are at work now developing products that incorporate JDK 1.1. (see addendum for quotes). Significant new features include:

Global Language Support: JDK 1.1 includes APIs that offer internationalization capabilities based on the Unicode 2.0 character set standard. This important new feature enables developers to ship applications that can be adapted to specific languages around the world.

Dramatically improved AWT: JDK 1.1 features a re-architected abstract windowing toolkit that performs strongly across all operating systems. The AWT lets Java applications take on the look and feel of the user interface of the underlying operating system. The new AWT includes a revised graphical user interface (GUI) foundation that enables developers to create high-performance sophisticated GUI applications and applets that perform especially well in popular PC environments.

Robust new features: JDK 1.1 includes JDBC, the de facto industry standard for creating platform-independent interfaces to enterprise databases; Java RMI, which enables objects running on one Java Virtual Machine to connect to objects running remotely on another Java Virtual Machine; and Java Security APIs, which augment the Java "sandbox" security model that strongly restricts how an applet may interact with an end users' system with digital signatures and other new capabilities to allow developers to create robust, flexible security policies that would allow designated Java applets to interact with an end users' system.

JDK 1.1 also includes the Java Archive Format (JAR), to bundle applets for easier download; Java Native Method Interface (JNI), to allow Java to call up native libraries; reflection, providing a secure means to access the objects at runtime; serialization, to convert objects into a stream of bytes that can be saved, stored, and later used to create equivalent objects; and several other features that are further described in the JDK white paper at http://java.sun.com/products/JDK/1.1/designspecs/

Extensive Test Suites Ensure Complete, Compatible Java Platform

To move the industry toward total compatibility on implementations of the Java Virtual Machine and APIs, JavaSoft has an extensive compatibility testing program. With JDK 1.1, JavaSoft will ship to its licensees more than 5,000 tests based on published specifications to ensure that every implementation of Java performs as the Java specifications dictates that it should. Every licensees' products must comply with the full specification for JDK 1.1.

"There is nothing more important to us than a ubiquitous, compatible Java platform that fulfills its `write-once-run-anywhere' promise," said Kannegaard. "That means a lot of work at JavaSoft to guide the industry. We've devoted enormous resources to developing robust and demanding tests to ensure that Java does indeed do what we say it will do -- in every implementation, on every platform."

The JDK 1.1 beta will be available on December 9, 1996 at http://java.sun.com/ for SPARC(TM) systems running Solaris(TM) and for x86 systems running Windows 95 and Windows NT. The final release of JDK 1.1 will deliver support for SPARC systems running Solaris, for x86 systems running, Solaris, Windows 95, and Windows NT, for MacOS, and for JavaOS(TM). JDK 1.1 will be ported by Java licensees to run in many other system environments.