| # JavaTM 2 SDK Tools and Utilities | Documentation Contents

Each of the development tools comes in a Win32 version and a Solaris version. There is virtually no difference in features between Win32 and Solaris versions. However, there are minor differences in configuration and usage to accommodate the special requirements of each operating system. (For example, the way you specify directory separators depends on the OS.)

The following documents contain important information you will need to know to get the most out of the SDK tools.

> SDK File Structure | [Solaris] [Linux] [Win32]
> Setting the Classpath | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
> How Classes are Found | [Solaris, Linux and Win32]
> Tool Changes in Java 2 SDK, v1.3 | [Solaris, Linux and Win32]
> Migration from JDK 1.1 to the Java 2 Platform | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]

The sections below provide a brief introduction to the tools in the Java 2 SDK, with links to their reference pages:

- Basic Tools (javac, java, javadoc, appletviewer, jar, jdb, javah, javap, extcheck)
- Remote Method Invocation (RMI) Tools (rmic, rmiregistry, rmid, serialver)
- Internationalization Tools (native2ascii)
- Security Tools (keytool, jarsigner, policytool)
- Java IDL and RMI-IIOP Tools (tnameserv, idlj)
- Java Plug-inTM Tools

Basic Tools
These tools are the foundation of the Java 2 SDK. They are the tools you use to create and build applications.
javac | The compiler for the Java programming language. | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
java | The launcher for Java applications. In this release, a single launcher is used both for development and deployment. The old deployment launcher, jre, is no longer provided. | [Solaris] [Linux] [Win32]
javadoc | API documentation generator. See Javadoc 1.3 Home Page | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
appletviewer | Run and debug applets without a web browser. | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
jar | Manage Java Archive (JAR) files. | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
jdb | The Java Debugger. | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
javah | C header and stub generator. Used to write native methods. | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
javap | Class file disassembler | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
extcheck | Utility to detect Jar conflicts. | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
javald | Utility that creates a convenient wrapper file that captures the necessary environment needed to run a Java application. | [Solaris only]
Remote Method Invocation (RMI) Tools
These tools help to create apps that interact over the Web or other network.
rmic | Generate stubs and skeletons for remote objects. | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
rmiregistry | Remote object registry service. | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
rmid | RMI activation system daemon. | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
serialver | Return class serialVersionUID. | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
Internationalization Tools
This tool helps to create localizable apps.
native2ascii | Convert text to Unicode Latin-1. | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
Security Tools
These tools help you set security policies on your system and create apps that can work within the scope of security policies set at remote sites.
keytool | Manage keystores and certificates. | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
jarsigner | Generate and verify JAR signatures. | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
policytool | GUI tool for managing policy files. | [Solaris and Linux] [Win32]
Java IDL and RMI-IIOP Tools
These tools are used when creating apps that use CORBA to access databases.
tnameserv | Provides access to the naming service.
idlj | Generates .java files that map an OMG IDL interface and enable an application written in the Java programming language to use CORBA functionality.
Java Plug-in Tools
Utilities for use in conjunction with the Java Plug-inTM product.
unregbean | Unregisters a packaged JavaBeans component over ActiveX. Unregbean is described on the Java Plug-in Scripting document on the Java Software web site.