You are here: irt.org | FAQ | JavaScript | General | Q477 [ previous next ]
No. Enumerating all the things that Java can do which JavaScript cannot or vice versa will fill up an entire tome by itself, what we are trying to present here are some of the differences which are a Must Know for web designers and programmers.
Feature |
Java |
JavaScript |
| Creators | Sun Microsystems | Netscape |
| Type of Language | Byte Compiled Object Oriented | Smaller Object Oriented type Interpreted Scripting Language |
| Stand alone applications | Can be created | Cannot be created |
| Applet Creation | Possible | No |
| File input/output | Can read and write files from and to server but nothing can be written on clients machine | Can write cookies to clients machine, and embed *.js files from the server |
| Run Time Libraries | JVM (Java Virtual Machine) Java Runtime Lib required | JavaScript runtime libraries required |
Don't worry these libraries are built into Java and JavaScript compatible browsers |
||
| Image Manipulation | Possible right up to pixel color level | No image manipulation possible, other than image replacement |
| Animation | Possible | Limited |
| Drawing | Possible | No |
| Multi threaded programs | Possible | No |
| Networking / Sockets | Possible | No |
| Cross Platform | More stable and reliable | Less Reliable |
| The problems with cross platform compatibility in JavaScript arise mainly due to differences in the object models implemented in the two major browsers - Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer | ||
| Tools Need to write and test | Java Development Kit (JDK) | Nothing Special is needed, you can get by with Notepad in Windows |
| Compilation | Needs to be compiled before executing | No need for compilation |
JavaScript and Java are two totally separate languages. The fact that they are similarly named is not important.
It is however possible for the two languages to communicate with each other in Netscape Navigator using a technology called LiveConnect.