Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT)

Documentation Contents

The Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT) supports Graphical User Interface (GUI) programming. AWT features include:

• a rich set of user interface components;
• a robust event-handling model;
• graphics and imaging tools, including shape, color, and font classes;
• layout managers, for flexible window layouts that don't depend on a particular window size or screen resolution;
• data transfer classes, for cut-and-paste through the native platform clipboard.

The AWT is part of the Java Foundation Classes (JFC). For other JFC features, see below.

Enhancements

• AWT Enhancements in the Java 2 Platform Standard Edition 5.0
• AWT Enhancements in the Java 2 SDK, v1.4
• AWT Enhancements in the Java 2 SDK, v1.3

Using the AWT

The Overview and Demos were originally written for programmers making the transition from 1.0 to 1.1, and most of the documents have not been updated recently. The programming techniques they describe are still applicable in the Java 2 platform.

• Overview of Previous Enhancements
• Programming Examples

On the Java Software web site:

• Creating a User Interface (from the Java Tutorial).
• The AWT Home Page

API References

• java.awt Package
• java.awt.event Package
• java.awt.datatransfer Package

Other JFC APIs

• Swing Components
• Drag-and-Drop Data Transfer
• 2D - Advanced graphics and imaging
• Accessibility API

On the Java Software web site:

• The JFC Home Page

Additional Specification

• Focus Model Specification
• XAWT

Copyright © 2002 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Please send comments to: java-awt@java.sun.com

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