API

[kenneth ga]

where can i find Java CORE API specs?

not SUN's API specs but the java itself.

thanks

[Marilyn de Queiroz]

Java was invented by James Gosling at Sun. Plus, they consider the Java language is theirs. That is probably why the java API is hosted by Sun.

Most Java core classes are in the java.lang package. You could begin by looking at them.

[kenneth ga]

thanks for the reply.

does that mean that the specifications that I can find in Sun's website is the "standard" specification of java?

what happen if other company won't comply to the rules of that specs?

thanks in advance.

[Marilyn de Queiroz]

On the other hand you may be asking about the Java Language Specification which you can find here.
[ August 05, 2004: Message edited by: Marilyn de Queiroz ]

[Marilyn de Queiroz]

Sun's java is the standard java. Are you aware that they sued Microsoft because Microsoft tried to mutate the java language?

[kenneth ga]

oh, that's really interesting. that could give me enough answer.
do you still have that link or info? thanks..

one more thing, i believe that Sun's java comes with the core API and the platform. does this mean that the API specs used in this one are the ones documented in the site?

i really want to know what is the "standard" API specs and whether that specs are the ones located at Sun's. And that specs is not only "Suns Specs" and not really the original specs. Something like, they modified for them.

thanks again.

[Marilyn de Queiroz]

The recent litigation between Sun Microsystems and Microsoft over the latter's use of Sun's Java programming language,(113) for example ...

Windows and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Java and all Java-based

The Ruling

If you do a search using 'Microsoft sue "Sun Microsystems" java', you can find lots more links to this well-publicized battle.

The on-line API is convenient, and you can find the current APIs there as well as (usually) the previous version (for example: version 1.5 and version 1.4.3). However, you can find the API for the version of java that you are using in the docs directory of the installed jdk. On my file system it is found at C:\j2sdk1.4.1_01\docs\api

By "original specs", if you mean the java 1.0 API, I believe you can still find it archived on Sun's site (I haven't looked back any farther than version 1.1.4).

"They modified for them"?? Sun modified Java for themselves? Please see the links above.
[ August 05, 2004: Message edited by: Marilyn de Queiroz ]

[Gjorgi Var]

... has anyone tried to print the API in the form of a book? ...

[kenneth ga]

thank you, thank you!

one last follow up..

does this mean that for example, in the java.lang, there is this Float class and has a method toString(float). And in the Java Specs, there are rules specified how to display a string representation of the float value.

What if I will modify the implementation and make the method display longer string for the float, say upto 20 digits.
Is this some kind of specs or rule violation?

also, does other company not permitted not to modify the core libraries?

thanks in advance.

[Vijayendra V Rao]

Originally posted by Gjorgi Var:
... has anyone tried to print the API in the form of a book? ...

As long as you don't write your code on pieces of paper, why would anyone want to do this?

[Jeroen Wenting]

Originally posted by Gjorgi Var:
... has anyone tried to print the API in the form of a book? ...

yes, O'Reilly have created a series of books in their Nutshell series containing annotated versions of the API documentation and I believe Sun have done something similar.