Java desktop applications offer security and stability, along with a dynamic user interface that enhances the overall experience. Due to their extensive features, such applications find widespread use across various business entities, particularly in the education sector. Even though they are the best choice for personal use.
Java desktop applications are those that run on a computer, such as a laptop or personal computer (PC), rather than on a server or in a browser. Such applications can run in coordination with the underlying operating system, such as Windows, Linux, or macOS.
Some Basic Features for Running Java Desktop Applications:
Install the Software:
As a first step, the user must download and install the software to ensure it runs successfully.
System Support:
Such software relies on the internal hardware requirements of a computer, such as RAM and CPU. And they do not need the support of external resources, such as the internet.
Browser-less Computing:
Java desktop applications run independently without requiring the support of web apps or web browsers.
Easy Processing:
Desktop applications can handle even heavier processing tasks, such as running databases, 3D modeling, and video editing, very easily, as they access system resources directly.
Sans Internet:
These applications can run locally, even without internet access, except for a few activities such as syncing, updating, or storing data in the cloud.
Give Some Real-World Examples for Java Desktop Applications:
Eclipse IDE:
Although it is popular as a powerful Java Integrated Development Environment, it also extends to other programming languages.
IntelliJ IDEA:
The current available version has its updates written using Kotlin; however, the original core software uses Java.
NetBeans IDE:
This IDE is another perfect example that was built using Java.
These are some popular examples of Java desktop applications.
Advantages:
Installing Java on the desktop offers several advantages. Some of the prominent ones are the following:
Platform Independence:
As the name suggests, Java can run on any underlying platform, typically referred to as an operating system, including Linux, macOS, Windows, and others, without any issues. It is due to the presence of the JVM in Java. With this advantage, there is no need to develop platform-specific programs.
Strong Standard Library:
Java features a large standard library, enabling programmers to perform various functionalities such as database connectivity, file handling, and networking easily. This feature also supports multithreading, expanding the programming capabilities.
Cross-Platform IDEs & Tools:
Java enables programmers to work across various powerful IDEs, such as NetBeans, Eclipse, and IntelliJ IDEA, thereby simplifying the application development process.
Rich GUI Frameworks:
Java offers various toolkits, such as JavaFX and Swing, along with rich third-party libraries like SWT. It helps in the building of modern graphical user interfaces, expanding the capabilities to gain control over components.
Object-Oriented and Modular:
The OOP principles help in easy maintenance, extension, and scaling. Also, due to the modular structure, these extended capabilities are possible.
Strong Security Model:
In comparison to other low-level programming languages, Java is powerful in reducing vulnerabilities, especially with regard to security issues. This is due to the features of the security manager, including sandboxing and automatic memory management.
Easy incorporation of Other Technologies:
With Java offering various capabilities, it is easy to integrate other technologies such as web services, REST APIs, and databases with Java. Also, it is also easy to integrate the modern and most essential cloud platforms like GCP, Azure, and AWS.
What are the Disadvantages of Java Desktop Applications?
Although Java Desktop applications offer a wide range of advantages, there are certain associated disadvantages. They are as follows,
System Load:
In comparison to other natively compiled application programming languages, such as C++, Java is slower, as the code in Java runs on the JVM instead of directly on the OS.
Storage Intensive:
With the inclusion of garbage collectors and JVMs, Java applications may become heavier than lightweight native apps, as they consume more resources.