Mac OS X is a UNIX-based operating system that runs on some of the finest hardware in the world. It comes with some excellent development tools, and a first-class Java 2 Standard Edition implementation, including a HotSpot client virtual machine, tied right into the operating system. Apple has made Java a first-class citizen of Mac OS X, and this book shows how Java developers can take advantage of the power they've been given.

Using Java as a development language on Mac OS X, you can write portable pure Java applications that run and look like native programs, or you can develop programs that exploit the Cocoa programming interface, allowing you to build powerful Mac OS X applications and take advantage of all the functionality provided by Apple's exciting Aqua UI. You can also exploit native operating-system functionality without writing any C or C++ code, through APIs such as JDirect. This book explains to the experienced Java developer where to start, what's possible, and where to go.

This book covers:

The role of Java in Mac OS X
Using Mac OS X as a Java development platform
Writing portable Java Code
Taking advantage of Mac OS X's features in pure Java applications
Developing enterprise applications on Mac OS X
Deploying Java code as a Mac OS X application
Accessing OS-specific functions through MRJ and JDirect
Using Java to program Cocoa