Java is both a programming language and a computing platform. The former allows you to develop applications and the latter allows you to run the applications that you, or others, develop.

Learning Java can help aspiring developers understand the foundations of programming because of the language’s wide usage and functionality.

Click on the major version you want to download from the "Java SE" list. For example, choose "Java SE 6" if you want to download any version number ranging from Java 6.0 to Java 6.43.

This free to download 6th edition translates all this foreign programming and computer syntax into plain English, along with plenty of helpful examples and tips. Get yours before the offer expires!

Java has endured radical transformations in the technology landscape and many threats to its prominence. What makes this technology so great, and what does the future hold for Java?