Appendix:Glossary of Java programming language terms

This is a glossary of Java programming language terms.

A

 * abstract class : A class that cannot be directly constructed, one that can be constructed only through construction of some of its subclasses.
 * argument : A value, or reference to a value, passed to a function; an actual argument.
 * array : An ordered sequence of same-typed values whose elements are fast to access by their numerical index in the array.

B

 * Boolean : A data type for yes or no, true or false values.

C

 * class : A set of objects having the same behavior (but typically differing in state), or a template defining such a set.
 * compiler : A computer program which transforms source code into object code.
 * constant : An identifier that is bound to an invariant value.
 * constructor : A class method (in object-oriented programming) that creates and initializes each instance of an object.

D

 * data type : A classification or category of various types of data, that states the possible values that can be taken, how they are stored, and what range of operations are allowed on them.
 * destructor : In object-oriented programming, the command sequence that is launched when the execution of an object is finished.

E

 * enumeration : A data type whole values are a set of mutually exclusive named constants.
 * exception : An interruption in normal processing, especially as caused by an error condition.

I

 * identifier : A formal name used in source code to refer to a variable, function, procedure, package, etc.
 * integer : A data type for integer values.
 * intercapped : When the first letter of any concatenated words are given an upper-case letter names.

M

 * machine code : System of instructions and data directly understandable by a computer's central processing unit.
 * method : In object-oriented languages, a subroutine or function belonging to a class or object.

O

 * obscurification : Usually used in Java to describe the act of hiding source code in plain sight.
 * object code : The output of a compiler or assembler, not necessarily executable directly without linking to other modules.
 * object-oriented : Using entities called objects that can process data and exchange messages with other objects.

P

 * paradigm : A fundamental style of computer programming to which the design of a programming language typically has to cater, such as imperative programming, declarative programming, or, on a finer level, functional programming, logic programming or object-oriented programming.
 * parameter : A name in a function or subroutine definition that is replaced by, or bound to, the corresponding actual argument when the function or subroutine is called.
 * program : A software application, or a collection of software applications, designed to perform a specific task.

R

 * run time : The time during which a program is executing, as oppose to the compile time.

S

 * source code : Human-readable instructions in a programming language, to be transformed into machine instructions by a compiler, interpreter, assembler or other such system.
 * stack : The portion of the computer memory used to keep track of called procedures or call instructions.
 * string : A data type for a sequence of characters such as letters of English alphabet.
 * subclass : In object-oriented programming, an object class derived from another class (its superclass) from which it inherits a base set of properties and methods.
 * superclass : A class that passes attributes and methods down the hierarchy to subclasses.

T

 * type : A tag attached to variables and values used in determining what values may be assigned to what variables.

V

 * variable : A named memory location in which a program can store intermediate results and from which it can read them.