The Two Kinds of Containers

The AWT defines two different kinds of containers, panels and windows.

Panels are subclasses of java.awt.Panel. A panel is contained inside another container, or perhaps inside the web browser's window. Panels do not stand on their own. Applets are panels.

Windows are subclasses of java.awt.Window. A window is a free-standing, native window. There are two kinds of windows: frames and dialogs. A frame is an instance of a subclass of java.awt.Frame. It represents a normal, native window. A dialog is a subclass of java.awt.Dialog. A dialog is a transitory window that exists merely to impart some information or get some input from the user.


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Last Modified November 11, 1997
Copyright 1997 Elliotte Rusty Harold
elharo@metalab.unc.edu