(1) A web-friendly object-oriented programming language. By the mechanism of the Java Virtual Machine, Java applications are portable to virtually any computer system. Java is commonly used to write applets. (2) A programming language expressly designed for use in the distributed environment of the Internet. It can be used to build a small application module or applet for use as part of a web page. Applets make it possible for a web page user to interact with the page. (3) Programming language developed by Sun Microsystems that creates code for interactive applications that is executable on web pages by web browsers. These Java applications can execute on any platform--Mac, PC, etc.