What's New

The final release of JFC/Swing 1.1.1 is now available. JFC/Swing 1.1.1 is the last JDK 1.1 related release of JFC software. For information about getting JFC software, see How to Download the JFC.

If you're working on assistive technologies, then in addition to downloading the appropriate JFC 1.1 or Java 2^® release, you should also download the corresponding accessibility utilities.

Once you've finished your JFC software-enabled product, you can list it for free in the JFC Directory.

JFC features include:

• JFC/Swing components
• pluggable look and feel
• accessibility API
• Java 2D^TM API (Java 2 only)
• drag and drop (Java 2 only)

Sun authors have written two books to help you use the JFC/Swing components. Java^TM Look and Feel Design Guidelines provides essential information for anyone involved in the process of creating cross-platform Java applications and applets. The JFC Swing Tutorial is a programmer's guide to using the JFC/Swing components, featuring a CD-ROM and over 100 example programs with full source code.

List Your Product in the JFC Directory

The JFC Directory is a new addition to the Java Solutions Guide. This database maintained by Sun Microsystems lets potential customers search for products by company, name, product type, or market sector. The JFC Directory is a free service that markets JFC-enabled products to developers and enterprise customers. To list your product, fill out the form on the enrollment page.

How to Download the JFC

Java 2 SDK, Standard Edition, v 1.3 Beta
Download from the Java Developer Connection^SM
Browse the documentation.

A pre-release version of the release codenamed "Kestrel." Contains the entire JFC, including the latest version of the Swing API. See the home page for version 1.3 for more information about this release, and The Swing Connection for information about the Swing part of this release.

Java 2 SDK, Standard Edition, v 1.2.2
Download
Browse the documentation.

Contains the entire JFC, including the Swing 1.1.1 API and the Java 2D API. This is the most up-to-date supported release of the Swing API. See the home page for version 1.2 for more information about this release.

JFC 1.1 with Swing 1.1.1
Download
Browse the API documentation included in the release.

The last planned release for Swing development using JDK 1.1. JFC/Swing 1.1.1 improves on Swing 1.1 by adding many bug fixes, some performance improvements, and a few new features such as multi-line labels and HTML in all text-based components. JFC/Swing 1.1.1 has been tested against JDK 1.1.7 and JDK 1.1.8, as well as the current releases of Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer. For more information on the differences between Swing 1.1.1 and Swing 1.1, read CHANGES.txt.

JFC 1.1 with Swing 1.0.3
Download
Browse the API documentation included in the release.

The final bug-fix version of the Swing 1.0 release. Works with JDK 1.1. The Swing 1.0.3 classes were included in Java Plug-in 1.1.1. We recommend that instead of using this release, you download a newer release such as JFC/Swing 1.1.1 or Java 2 SDK.

The package names used for Swing API changed in Swing 1.1 Beta 3 and JDK 1.2 RC1, as specified in the package name proposal. To help you convert to the final package names, we provide a PackageRenamer utility. An alternative is to use the PackageMapper utility from WoodenChair. PackageMapper is a Swing-based utility that lets you make package name changes to entire directories of source code files.

How to Download the Accessibility Utilities

The Java Accessibility Utilities package provides support so assistive technologies can locate and query user interface objects inside a Java application running in a Java^TM Virtual Machine. It also supports installation of "event listeners" into these objects, and provides example tools that highlight how to enable assistive technologies to interact with the Accessibility API support built into Swing components.

Three releases contain current versions of the accessibility tools:

Java Accessibility Utilities 1.2.2
Download from this page.
Browse the documentation included in the release.

For use with JDK 1.2.

Java Accessibility Utilities 1.1
Download from this page.
Browse the documentation included in the release.

For use with JFC/Swing 1.1 and JFC/Swing 1.1.1.

Java Accessibility Utilities 1.0
Download from this page.
Browse the documentation included in the release.

For use with Swing 1.0, Swing 1.0.1, Swing 1.0.2, and Swing 1.0.3.

If you're unsure of which release to download, please see the compatibility table. For more information about accessibility, see Accessibility: Support for People with Disabilities.

What Is the JFC?

The Java Foundation Classes software extends the original Abstract Windowing Toolkit (AWT) by adding a comprehensive set of graphical user interface class libraries. The rest of this page describes each new JFC release feature and tells you where to find more information about it.

JFC/Swing GUI Components

These components are written in the Java programming language, without window-system-specific code. This facilitates a customizable look and feel without relying on the native windowing system, and simplifies the deployment of applications.

To see the latest JFC software news and information, visit The Swing Connection.

Pluggable Look & Feel

This feature gives users the ability to switch the look and feel of an application without restarting it and without the developer having to subclass the entire component set.

For more information on pluggable looks and feels, visit The Swing Connection.

Accessibility: Support for People with Disabilities

The Accessibility API provides a clean interface that allows assistive technologies to interact and communicate with JFC and AWT components. Assistive technologies are used by people with and without disabilities and include screen readers, screen magnifiers, and speech recognition. Development of this API has followed an open design process based on input from experts in the assistive technology field.

The unparalleled accessibility built into the JFC software makes it possible for software vendors to satisfy a large and growing need in government, state, and commercial markets. As a result, applications developed using JFC software will help customers meet federal regulations on accessibility, making these applications more attractive to a large number of important market segments.

For more information on accessibility, browse the on-line accessibility documentation. For information on downloading the accessibility utilities, see How to Download the Accessibility Utilities.

Additional features include fancy paint styles, defining complex shapes, and controlling the rendering process. For more information, see the Java 2D API Home Page.

Drag and Drop

This feature will significantly improve application interoperability by enabling Drag and Drop between those applications incorporating Java technology and those not incorporating it. You can download the specification.

For more information about JFC software, check out The Swing Connection and the whitepaper Java Foundation Classes: Now and the Future. Also see the current and previous feature articles at java.sun.com, many of which describe how developers are taking advantage of JFC software functionality.

Downloading the Java Accessibility Utilities 1.2.2

Note: You don't need to download the accessibility utilities to make your JFC programs support accessibility. If you do download the utilities, be sure to pick the version corresponding to the JFC or JDK release you're using. See How to Download the Accessibility Utilities for more information.

This Java Accessibility Utilities 1.2.2 release contains utilities for use with the JDK 1.2 release.

LICENSE | NOTES | CHANGES | README

Downloading the Java Accessibility Utilities 1.1

Note: You don't need to download the accessibility utilities to make your JFC programs support accessibility. If you do download the utilities, be sure to pick the version corresponding to the JFC or JDK release you're using. See How to Download the Accessibility Utilities for more information.

This Java Accessibility Utilities 1.1 release contains utilities for use with the Swing 1.1/1.1.1 API.

LICENSE | NOTES | CHANGES | README

Downloading the Java Accessibility Utilities 1.0

Note: You might not need to download the accessibility utilities. Even if you do, you might want a different version from the one provided here. Please see How to Download the Accessibility Utilities for more information.

This Java Accessibility Utilities 1.0 release contains utilities for use with the Swing 1.0.x API.

LICENSE | NOTES | CHANGES | README

The AWT in 1.0 and 1.1

The AWT (Abstract Window Toolkit) is part of the Java Foundation Classes (JFC) -- the standard API for providing graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for applications written in the Java programming language. You can browse an archive of information about the AWT features present in 1.0 and 1.1.

Swing was the project name chosen by the developers of the new high-level components. Although these components are now part of the JFC software, the Swing name persists.