Overview of the Java Platform

1. The Java programming language is syntactically similar to C++ but differs fundamentally. While C++ uses unsafe pointers and programmers are responsible for allocating and freeing memory, the Java programming language uses type safe object references, and unused memory is reclaimed automatically. Furthermore, the Java programming language eschews multiple inheritance (a likely source of confusion and ambiguity in C++) in favor of a cleaner construct,interfaces.
2. A virtual machine forms the foundation of the Java platform. This architecture offers several attractive features: The virtual machine can be implemented to run a top a variety of operating systems and hardware, with binary-compatible Java applications operating consistently across many implementations. In addition, the virtual machine provides tight control of executed binaries, enabling safe execution of untrusted code.
   
3. Finally, an extensive set of standard application programming interfaces(APIs) rounds out the Java platform. These support almost everything you might want your applications to do, from user interface through cryptography, from CORBA connectivity through internationalization.