Introduction to the AWT

A description of Java's user interface toolkit

The Java programming language class library provides a user interface toolkit called the Abstract Windowing Toolkit, or the AWT. The AWT is both powerful and flexible. Newcomers, however, often find that its power is veiled. The class and method descriptions found in the distributed documentation provide little guidance for the new programmer. Furthermore, the available examples often leave many important questions unanswered. Of course, newcomers should expect some difficulty. Effective graphical user interfaces are inherently challenging to design and implement, and the sometimes complicated interactions between classes in the AWT only make this task more complex. However, with proper guidance, the creation of a graphical user interface using the AWT is not only possible, but relatively straightforward.

This article covers some of the philosophy behind the AWT and addresses the practical concern of how to create a simple user interface for an applet or application.

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