The Java Foundation Classes (JFC) are a graphical framework for building

portable Java-based graphical user interfaces (GUIs). JFC consists of

the Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT), Swing and Java 2D. Together, they

provide a consistent user interface for Java programs, regardless of

whether the underlying user interface system is Windows, macOS or Linux.

• History

• See also

• References

• External links

AWT existed before JFC. AWT was heavily criticized for being little more

than a wrapper around the native graphical capabilities of the host

platform. That meant that the standard widgets in the AWT relied on

those capabilities of the native widgets, requiring the developer to

also be aware of the differences between host platforms.

An alternative graphics library called the Internet Foundation Classes

was developed in more platform-independent code by Netscape.

At the same time, another graphics library, called

Application Foundation Classes (AFC), was developed independently by

Microsoft. It was made to be easier to extend the graphic components,

but was primarily aimed for use with the Microsoft Java Virtual Machine.

On April 2, 1997, Sun Microsystems and Netscape announced their

intention to combine IFC with other technologies to form the "Java

Foundation Classes".cite-ref-1[1] The "Java Foundation Classes" were later renamed

"Swing", adding the capability for a pluggable look and feel of the

widgets. This allowed Swing programs to maintain a platform-independent

code base, but mimic the look of a native application. The release of

JFC made IFC obsolete, and dropped interest for Microsoft's AFC.

Using the Java programming language, Java Foundation Classes (JFC) are

pre-written code in the form of class libraries (coded routines) that

give the programmer a comprehensive set of graphical user interface

(GUI) routines to use. The Java Foundation Classes are comparable to the

Microsoft Foundation Class Library (MFC). JFC is an extension of the

original Java Abstract Windowing Toolkit (AWT). Using JFC and Swing, an

additional set of program components, a programmer can write programs

that are independent of the windowing system within a particular

operating system.

• Standard Widget Toolkit

• Java Class Library

cite-note-11. ↑ "Sun and Netscape to jointly develop Java Foundation Classes". Netscape Communications Corporation. 1997-04-02. Archived from the original on 2012-05-09. Retrieved 2007-07-14.

• Official JFC website at Sun