Curriculum
Course: Learn Java Programming
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Curriculum

Learn Java Programming

Chapter 1: Introduction to Java

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Chapter 2: Java Data Types, Tokens and Variables

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Chapter 3: Working with User Input in Java

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Chapter 4: Java Operators and Expressions

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Chapter 5: Understanding Control Statements in Java

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Chapter 6: Understanding Java Arrays

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Chapter 7: Understanding Classes and Methods in Java Part 1

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Chapter 8: Understanding Methods and Objects in Java Part 2

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Chapter 9: Working with Encapsulation, Inheritance and Polymorphism in Java

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Chapter 10: Working with Package, Abstract Class and Interface in Java

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Chapter 11: String Handling in Java

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Chapter 12: Understanding Error and Exception Handling in Java

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Chapter 13: Working with I/O Stream Classes and File Handling in Java

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Chapter 14: Working with Multithreading in Java

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Chapter 15: Working with Generics

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Chapter 16: Working with Collection Frameworks

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Chapter 17: Working with AWT and Swings in Java

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Chapter 18: Event Handling in Java

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Chapter 19: Working with JDBC in Java

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Text lesson

Introduction to AWT and Swing Components in Java

[post-views]

 

 

In this lesson, you will learn.

  • What is AWT
  • What is Swing
  • Advantages of using Swing Over AWT
  • Key differences b/w AWT and Swings
  • Component Hierarchy of Swing Component

 

What is AWT in Java?

  1. AWT (Abstract Window Toolkit) is a part of the Java Foundation Classes (JFC) used to create graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for Java applications.
  2. AWT provides a set of APIs for creating and managing windows, buttons, text fields, and other GUI components.
  3. It is a platform-dependent API, meaning that the look and feel of the components can vary between different operating systems.
  4. The AWT classes are contained in the java.awt package.

 

To solve this problem(i.e. platform dependent), Java upgrades and extends the original components through the Swing toolkit.

 

What is Swing in Java?

Swing is a part of the Java Foundation Classes (JFC) and provides a more powerful and flexible GUI toolkit than AWT.

 

 

Here are the advantages of using Swing over AWT, followed by a table highlighting key differences between the two.

 

Advantages of Using Swing Over AWT

  1. Platform Independence:
    • Swing components are written entirely in Java and are platform-independent.
    • They have a consistent look and feel across different operating systems.
  2. Pluggable Look and Feel:
    • Swing supports pluggable look-and-feel, allowing developers to change the appearance of applications dynamically.
    • This means you can use a cross-platform look and feel or one that mimics the native OS.
  3. Rich Set of Components:
    • Swing provides a richer set of GUI components than AWT.
    • It includes advanced components like trees, tables, tabbed panes, sliders, and more.
  4. Customizable Components:
    • Swing components are highly customizable.
    • You can easily create your own components by extending existing ones.
  5. Lightweight Components:
    • Unlike AWT, which relies on native code (heavyweight components), Swing components are lightweight as they do not rely on native peers.
    • This leads to better performance and flexibility.
  6. MVC Architecture:
    • Swing uses the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architecture, which separates the data (model), the UI (view), and the control logic (controller).
    • This separation allows for more modular and maintainable code.

 

Key Differences Between AWT and Swing

Feature AWT Swing
Look and Feel Platform-dependent (native look) Pluggable look-and-feel (consistent across platforms)
Components Basic set of components Rich set of advanced components
Customizability Limited customization Highly customizable
Component Type Heavyweight (rely on native peers) Lightweight (purely Java)
Event Handling Old event handling model Improved event handling with delegation
Thread Safety Not thread-safe Not thread-safe, but provides SwingUtilities.invokeLater for thread safety
MVC Architecture No explicit support for MVC Built-in support for MVC architecture
Performance Dependent on native system performance Generally better performance due to the lightweight nature
Appearance Native appearance Consistent appearance, can mimic native or custom looks
Dependencies Uses native OS components Pure Java implementation

 

Hierarchy of Swing Component

The following figure shows the hierarchy of Swing components.

 

 

 

 

End of the lesson….enjoy learning

 

 

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