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Probably a stupid question but I would like to know. Not even sure what the technical name is (so feel free to edit question if it's unclear) but by "Java Control Panel" I'm referring to the component you find in Windows control panel:

enter image description here

I went to the java homepage but I'm still not sure... is the Java component you see in Control Panel simply a collection of Java programs built-in to all computers? If so, what exactly does it do? Is it only relevant to the Internet or is it necessary to run other applications or the operating system itself?

user1985189
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    The Java Control Panel allows you to configure the Java Runtime Environment which what executes Java applications (the stuff written using the programming language). – Justin Niessner Jun 23 '14 at 20:01
  • @JustinNiessner so could you say that the Java Control Panel is synonymous with the JRE? Or is it merely an interface for interacting with the underlying program(s)? – user1985189 Jun 23 '14 at 20:05
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    @user1985189 The Control Panel is a utility that's used to change JRE settings, just like the main Control Panel is a utility that's used to change Windows settings. – chrylis -cautiouslyoptimistic- Jun 23 '14 at 20:13
  • How this is related to programming? – user Jun 24 '14 at 00:48
  • @user java **programming** language? Yeah admittedly it's not really. But not really much different than this question: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2812549/what-is-the-difference-between-the-jre-and-jvm – user1985189 Jun 24 '14 at 13:04

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They are both parts of the same ecosystem.

The 'Java' you see in the Windows Control Panel is a Setting Option for the Java Virtual Machine, which is installed on your PC. A virtual machine understands its own bytecode and translates it for your CPU.

The 'Java' programming language is a computer programming language which allows you to write programs on top of this virtual machine. Java programs are compiled into Java bytecode and then executed by the JVM.

Tavian Barnes
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dre-hh
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  • You say it's used to configure the JVM, but the commenter above says it's used to configure the JRE... what's the difference and which is technically correct? – user1985189 Jun 23 '14 at 20:31
  • JRE = Java Runtime Environment, JVM = Java Virtual Machine. JRE includes the JVM and some extra stuff – dre-hh Jun 23 '14 at 20:33
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Java programming language is how you instruct java to do what with allowable set of statements which gets compiled using Java compiler and which gets executed by Java runtime environment (jvm)

when you install Java, it hooks into operating system settings (for windows family of operating system it is in control panel) it holds settings

which internally launches an executable jcontrol which comes with java installation

it holds Java runtime's configuration

The Java Control Panel is a multipurpose control panel. It allows you to view and set a wide range of parameters controlling how, or if, Java technology runs on your computer. It lets you view and delete temporary files used by the Java Plug-in, which allows Java technology to be used by your Web browser to run applets; and Java Web Start, which allows you to run Java applications over the network. It allows you to control certificates, making it safe to run applets and applications over the network. It enables you to view an active deployment rule set, and to manage the exception site list. It allows you to set runtime parameters for applets that run with Java Plug-in and applications that run with Java Web Start. It provides a mechanism for updating your version of the Java platform so that you always have the latest Java Runtime Environment (JRE). And it allows you to set options for debugging, applet handling, etc. The Java Control Panel includes the following separately viewable panels:

jmj
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The Java programming language is a language for programming computers, but it's also a standardized programming environment. This is a little like English is a language for exchanging textual information between people, but you also need to know the environment to be used to do this, which might be paper and typewriters, paper and pens, verbal with sounds, or electronically with computers.

The Java control panel is a tool that goes along with the Java programming language when it is installed on your computer. The control panel lets technically savvy users control things like WHICH environment they want Java programs to use when they're telling the computer to do things, in case your computer happens to have more than one. The control panel also lets you change various preferences like how and when the Java software should check for updates to itself and the like.

Alan Mimms
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