Devices

Java software runs in many places, on many kinds of computers and devices. Here's how it works on a Network Computer:

	References to Java software are embedded on a dashboard, start-up menu, or other convenient location. The software itself lives on a server somewhere on the network.
	The Java virtual machine*, often closely tied to the operating system (below), runs the application after stringent security checks.
	The NC's operating system1 provides machine-specific support for many of the actual operations and interactions.
	Result: An interactive Java application running on the NC. The Java virtual machine serves as consistent platform on different kinds of computers and operating systems, so that the same Java application runs on NCs, PCs, Macs, UNIX® workstations, and elsewhere.

Back to: How the Java Platform Works

¹An example is Sun's JavaOS operating environment

For a more detailed technical description of the workings of the Java platform, see The Java Language Environment - A White Paper.

*As used on this web site, the terms "Java virtual machine" or "JVM" mean a virtual machine for the Java platform.