• Shares characteristics of both C++ and Smalltalk
  • Smalltalk
    • Similar object model (single-rooted inheritance) hierarchy, access to objects via reference only, ...)
    • Compiled to byte-code (initially interpreted)
    • Dynamic memory layout plus garbage collection
  • C++
    • Same syntax for expressions, statements, and control flow
    • Similar OO structural syntax (classes, access protection, constructors, method declaration, ...)
  • Adds threads and synchronization primitives
    • Objects can force mutual exclusions of threads running inside them

Detailed Description:

"But aside from these similarities with Smalltalk and C++, Java has an important distinction: it allows you to build threads and to synchronize methods. These capabilities make Java a more powerful language than either Smalltalk or C++."