Writing Applets

Writing Applets

If you have done any web surfing, you've probably already seen Java Applets. Applets are programs that run inside of a web page using the resources the web browser has to offer such as a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and the default set of class libraries.
When you initially hit a web page with an incorporated Java applet, you usually see a gray box where the applet will show up and then slowly, the applet loads and appears in the space of the gray box.
If you are looking for an example, Gamelan has hundreds.
In addition to appearing in a web page, applets can appear in their own windows. That is, they can appear within their own application frame which will popup from the web browser's window. This frame can be moved and iconified separately from the web browser's window.
However, applets that appear in their own window typically display a message like, "Warning: Applet Window" in the bottom of their frame. This tells the user that the frame is part of a Java applet running from inside the browser. The web browser designers added this feature to prevent an applet from masquerading as some other window, such as a system password entry window or as some other application.
The AWT class java.applet.Applet defines an applet. This class provides all of the basic features and methods which makeup an applet object.

Adapters
Table of Contents
Applet Lifecycle