Book Image

Introduction to JVM Languages

Book Image

Introduction to JVM Languages

Overview of this book

Anyone who knows software development knows about the Java Virtual Machine. The Java Virtual Machine is responsible for interpreting Java byte code and translating it into actions. In the beginning, Java was the only programming language used for the JVM. But increasing complexity of the language and the remarkable performance of the JVM created an opening for a new generation of programming languages. If you want to build a strong foundation with the Java Virtual Machine and get started with popular modern programming languages, then this book is for you. The book will begin with a general introduction of the JVM and its features, which are common to the JVM languages, helping you get abreast with its concepts. It will then dive into explaining languages such as Java, Scala, Clojure, Kotlin, and Groovy and will show how to work with each language, their features, use cases, and pros and cons. By writing example projects in those languages and focusing on each language’s strong points, it will help you find the programming language that is most appropriate for your particular needs. By the end of the book, you will have written multiple programs that run on the Java Virtual Machine and know about the differences between the various languages.
Table of Contents (15 chapters)

Developing on the Java Virtual Machine

In this chapter, we will take an in-depth look at a Java Virtual Machine (JVM). We will focus on concepts that every JVM developer should know, regardless of the chosen programming language. This is what we will cover in this chapter:

  • Java Development Kit (JDK)
  • Class organization with packages
  • Java Class Library
  • Running JVM applications on the command line
  • Installing the Eclipse Integrated Development Environment (Eclipse IDE)

While this book covers Windows, macOS, and Linux (Ubuntu) operating systems, paths will often be shown in Windows style only. When using macOS and Linux systems, be sure to rewrite the paths using the rules of your operating system.