Oracle Launches JavaFX 2.0, Previews NetBeans IDE 7.1

• By Leila Meyer
• 10/05/11

Oracle has released JavaFX 2.0, a major rewrite of the company's Java platform for creating and deploying rich Internet applications (RIAs) that behave consistently across a wide variety of connected devices.

With JavaFX 2.0, programmers can now develop rich client applications entirely in Java using existing Java libraries, access native system capabilities, integrate Web media in Java applications, seamlessly connect to server-based Java Platform, Enterprise Edition (Java EE) middleware applications, and create scalable, graphics-rich applications--without, according to Oracle, sacrificing performance. JavaFX applications can be deployed as desktop applications or securely in a browser using the Java browser plugin.

Key features of JavaFX 2.0 include:

• More than 6,500 new APIs for end-to-end Java development;
• FXML, a scriptable, XML-based markup language for defining user interfaces;
• Support for scripting languages that are supported on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), including Groovy, JRuby, and Scala;
• Support for Java development tools such as NetBeans and Eclipse;
• Ability to update existing Java Swing applications with new JavaFX features;
• High-performance hardware-accelerated graphics pipeline;
• Ability to embed Web materials into JavaFX;
• High-performance media engine; and
• Improved user interface controls library.

"Oracle has redefined JavaFX to focus on data-driven business applications that are commonly deployed in enterprise environments. With version 2 of JavaFX, customers and partners can leverage their existing knowledge of and investments in Java technologies and easily create modern, expressive graphical user interfaces and data visualizations," said Nandini Ramani, vice president of development, Java Client Group, Oracle. "JavaFX 2.0 was designed from the ground up to be compatible with all the latest features and functionality of the Java Development Kit (JDK), including features coming in JDK 8 such as modularity and closures."

JavaFX 2.0 is available now for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. JavaFX 2.0 for Mac OS is currently in public beta. Further information about JavaFX 2.0 can be found at JavaFX.com.

Oracle also announced the availability of the NetBeans Integrated Developer Environment (IDE) 7.1 Beta. NetBeans is a free, open source IDE for creating enterprise, Web, desktop, and mobile applications using the Java platform, PHP, JavaScript and Ajax, and C/C++. NetBeans IDE 7.1 Beta supports JavaFX 2.0 and enables the full compile, debug, and profile development cycle for JavaFX 2.0 applications.

NetBeans IDE is available for Mac OS X, Windows, Linux, and Oracle Solaris operating systems. The NetBeans IDE 7.1 Beta is available for download from the NetBeans site.