Java

Java is an object orientated, compiled language currently produced by Oracle and is available as a free download from [http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/indexes/downloads/index.html their website].

The Java compiler (javac) compiles the object orientated source code into "byte code" - this is then "interpreted" by the the Java Runtime Engine (JRE). This enables the same byte code to be run across all the platforms that the JRE has been ported to (and that is a lot).