What are the main differences between JavaBeans and applets?

Created Mar 7, 2000

John Mitchell

Applets are Java programs which are meant to be run by an applet-runner (which is typically inside a web browser). By definition, applets are applets because they inherit from java.applet.Applet. Also, applets are pretty constrained in what they are/aren't allowed to do.

Traditional JavaBeans are Java software components. A bean may be a single, simple, standalone class or it may be a complicated behemoth but, as long as it follows the rules and conventions of JavaBeans, then it's a JavaBean.

Just to confuse you further, note that you can make a JavaBean an applet... Check out the "Bean" example from code examples from The Java Class Libraries: Second Edition, Volume 2 by Chan and Lee.