created: 03/07/98; revised: 07/15/02, 08/18/03

CHAPTER 36—Applets

This chapter examines Java applets. The methods of an applet are called by another program, usually a Web browser. The applet is responsible for the graphical components and user interaction in a rectangular section of the Web browser's screen. Applets run on the same computer as the Web browser and are typically used so that the user can interact with the Web page.

Chapter Topics:

These notes discuss the Applet class that is part of the AWT (Application Windowing Toolkit). A newer class, JApplet, is part of the Swing set of components. However, as of this writing, JApplet is not commonly used, and so will not be discussed. (See chapters 55 through 64 for a discussion of Swing).

QUESTION 1:

(Thought Question: ) All of the applications that you have seen so far have a main method. Do you expect that applets have a main method?