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Difference between AWT and Swing in Java
Java is a secure, powerful, and reliable language which developers can use to develop different types of applications that can run on desktop, web, and mobiles. Developers can develop customized applications with the help of GUI components. These GUI components are available in AWT and Swing and in this article, we will discuss the differences between AWT and Swing.
What is AWT in Java?
The full form of AWT is Abstract Window Toolkit. This is an API which developers use to develop different types of GUI applications. Sun Micro Systems developed and launched AWT in 1995. A large number of classes and methods can be found in this toolkit. The components present in AWT are heavy as the host operating system is used for their generation. The components of AWT depend on the platform on which they are being used.
What is Swing in Java?
Swing is a GUI toolkit in Java which developers use to make different types of GUI applications. The components of the Swing toolkit are platform-independent which helps developers to create option buttons and scroll bars. Swing components are a part of the Java Foundation Classes.
Difference between AWT and Swing
AWT and Swing are the packages which are used to develop GUI applications. There are many differences between AWT and Swing which can be found in the table below −
| AWT | Swing |
|---|---|
| Java AWT is an API which developers can use to develop different types of GUI applications. | Swing is a part of JFC and it is also used for the development of GUI applications. |
| The components available in the AWT package take time to load as they are heavyweight. | The components in the Swing package are light in weight and their loading time is very fast. |
| The functionalities available in the components of AWT are comparatively less. | The functionalities available in the components of Swing are more. |
| The code written for the AWT components takes more time for execution and showing results. | The code written for the components of the Swing package runs fast as the components are light in weight. |
| The components available in the AWT package depend on the platform. | The components available in the Swing package are independent of the platform. |
| AWT does not support MVC. | Swing package supports the patterns of MVC. |
| The components present in the AWT package comparatively do not have more power. | The components present in the Swing Package are comparatively more powerful. |
| The package that developers need for the AWT components is java.awt. | The package that developers need for the Swing components is javax.swing. |
| The components available in AWT cannot be configured. | The components available in the Swing package can be easily configured. |
| The number of components is small. | The number of components is comparatively large. |
| There are 21 peers in AWT. Each component has its own peer and one peer is for dialogue. Operating systems provide these peers which are available in the form of widgets. | Swing consists of only one peer which is available in the form of a window object of the operating system. Swing's widgets like labels, text boxes, option buttons, check boxes, etc. can be drawn here easily. |
| A large amount of computer memory is needed to execute the code. | A small amount of memory is used to execute the code. |
| The customization features are limited in the AWT Package. | There are a lot of customization options in the Swing package. |
Conclusion
AWT and Swing packages are available in Java and are used to make GUI applications. These packages can be used to make desktop, web, and mobile applications. The components available in the AWT package are heavy in weight and take more time for execution while the Swing components are light in weight and can be executed at a fast pace. AWT components are dependent on the operating system but this is not the case with the Swing components. Swing components have more functionalities and their number is also large in comparison to AWT.
FAQs on AWT Vs. Swing
1. The components of which package are heavyweight?
The components of the AWT package are heavyweight and take time to execute. Each component has a peer which is linked to the operating system. Comparatively, the components of the Swing package are light in weight and their execution is fast.
2. Which package has better functionalities in its components?
The components of Swing have better functionalities in comparison to AWT. There are a lot of methods available which can be used to enhance the functionalities of a component. The look and feel of the Swing components can also be improved which cannot be done with the AWT components.
3. The components of which package are powerful?
The components of the Swing package are more powerful. Each class of a component consists of a lot of methods which makes them powerful and they can be used easily.
4. Which package is used for Swing and AWT?
Developers use java.awt package for AWT components and javax.swing for the Swing components.
5. Which package has a large number of components?
The Swing package has a large number of components. Developers can add them as per their requirements and make a GUI software application.
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