Component Development for the Java Platform

by Stuart Halloway

Java™ is an object-oriented language, but it is also a component-oriented platform. Java's class-loading model and rich type information makes it possible to build flexible and reusable binary components. COMPONENT DEVELOPMENT FOR THE JAVA™ PLATFORM reveals both the potential and pitfalls of developing components using the Java platform.

As a platform, Java defines the services needed to connect binary components at runtime safely and reliably. To truly take advantage of all that Java has to offer, you must consider not just development but also deployment, and not just objects but also components. COMPONENT DEVELOPMENT FOR THE JAVA™ PLATFORM delves into the component-oriented features of the Java platform, thoroughly discussing class loading, reflection, serialization, native interoperation, and code generation.

KEY TOPICS INCLUDE HOW TO:

Use and troubleshoot Class Loaders
Build dynamic and generic services through reflection
Control an object's serialized representation
Load and use native code components
Extend the Java class format to add custom services
Automate development with code generation

This is a cutting-edge approach to Java programming: An emphasis on deployment can be the best way to take advantage of some of the most valuable, yet less heralded, aspects of Java technology.

334 pages, Paperback

First published December 14, 2001