Term of the Moment
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Definition: Swing
A Java toolkit for developing graphical user interfaces (GUIs). It includes elements such as menus, toolbars and dialog boxes. Swing is written in Java and is thus platform independent, unlike the Java Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT), which provides platform-specific code. Swing also has more sophisticated interface capabilities than AWT and offers such features as tabbed panes and the ability to change images on buttons. Swing is included in the Java Foundation Classes (JFC) which are provided in the Java Developers Toolkit (JDK). See JFC and JDK.
Swing vs. AWT
Swing calls the operating system at a lower level than AWT. Whereas AWT routines use native code, Swing was written entirely in Java and is platform independent.