 Java is a programming language, object-oriented developed by Sun Microsystems in the early 90s. The language in itself takes much of its syntax from C and C, but has a simpler object model and eliminates low-level tools, which often lead to many mistakes, as the direct handling of pointers or memory.
Java applications are typically compiled into a byte code, although the grouping into native machine code is also possible. At the time of execution, the byte code is usually interpreted or compiled to native code for execution, although the direct implementation of the hardware byte code by a Java processor is also possible.
The original implementation and reference compiler, the virtual machine and Java class libraries were developed by Sun Microsystems in 1995. Since then, Sun has controlled the specifications, development and evolution of language through the Java Community Process, while others have also developed alternative implementations of these technologies from Sun, some even under free software licenses.
Between November 2006 and May 2007, Sun Microsystems released the bulk of its Java technologies licensed under the GNU GPL, according to the specifications of the Java Community Process, so that virtually all of Sun's Java is now free software ( although the class library from Sun is required to run Java programs is still not free software).
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