Appendix D. JavaFX and the Java platform
JavaFX is not Java, but it rests within a sea of tools and technologies designed to support Java. Thus it shares the unusual dualistic characteristic of being of Java (the platform) but not Java (the language)!
Given JavaFX’s intentions it’s reasonable to assume a minority of readers may have been drawn to it (and thereby to this book) without first having come through Java; they would no doubt benefit from a little background, whereas Java-savvy readers will surely be keen to hear how the new platform and the old cooperate. So for young pups and old dogs alike, this appendix provides some background material, introducing Java and exploring how JavaFX fits into the existing Java environment.
Java is a software platform that seeks to fulfill the mantra “write once, run anywhere.” Software is compiled to bytecode files in the form of machine code instructions runnable on a virtual machine called a JVM.) The virtual machine provides a layer of abstraction, allowing the program to be run on many devices without needing to be specifically compiled to the machine code of the underlying hardware. Figure D.1 shows the lifecycle of a typical Java application.
