What is the Difference Between AWT and Swing in Java

The main difference between AWT and Swing in Java is that the AWT is Java’s original platform-dependent windowing, graphics, and user interface widget toolkit while the Swing is a GUI widget toolkit for Java that is an extension of AWT.  

Java is a high-level, general-purpose programming language that supports object-oriented programming, multithreading, platform-independency, and many other features. The programmer can write a variety of applications including desktop, web, mobile, image processing, etc. using Java language. It provides toolkits to build rich Graphical User Interfaces (GUI). AWT and Swing are two of them.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is GUI
     – Definition, Functionality
2. What is AWT
     – Definition, Functionality
3. What is Swing
     – Definition, Functionality
4. What is the Difference Between AWT and Swing in Java
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

AWT, GUI, Java, Swing

What is a GUI

GUI stands for Graphical User Interface. It is an interface that allows the users to operate an application and perform the required tasks. Also, a GUI consists of various components. Window, buttons, radio buttons, check boxes, labels, drop down lists, text fields, combo boxes are some GUI components. These components can trigger events. For example, a new page opens after clicking a button, or the user can enter the registration details and press the submit button. Most applications have a GUI to allow the user to communicate with the application.

What is AWT

AWT stands for Abstract Window Toolkit. It is an API to develop GUI or Windows-based applications in Java. It requires a native OS object to implement the functionalities. Also, AWT components are heavyweight and require more memory space. Moreover, they take some time to execute. Furthermore, the programmer has to import the javax.awt package to develop an AWT based GUI. Button, scrollbars, text fields, lists, dialogs, and panels are some AWT components. After creating objects, they are placed in a container. Also, it provides the required space for the components to load. Usually, AWT application in one OS might look different in another OS.

What is Swing

Swing is a GUI widget toolkit for Java. It is built on top of the AWT API. Also, it is a part of Oracle’s Java Foundation Classes (JFC). Furthermore, Swing provides basic components such as labels, textboxes, buttons, etc. as well as advanced components such as tabbed panes, table, and, trees. Therefore, Swing provides more sophisticated components than AWT. Here, the programmer has to import javax.swing package to write a Swing application. This package provides a number of classes such as JButton, JTable, JList, JTextArea, and, JCheckBox.

Figure 1: Simple Java Swing application

Swing is platform-independent and its components are lightweight. Furthermore, the components require minimum memory space. Therefore, Swing applications execute much faster. One common design pattern in development is Model, View, Controller (MVC) pattern. Swing follows this pattern. It helps to maintain the code easily.  

Difference Between AWT and Swing

Definition

AWT is a collection of GUI components (widgets) and other related services required for GUI programming in Java. Swing is a part of Java Foundation Classes (JFC) that is used to create Java-based Front end GUI applications. Hence, this explains the main difference between AWT and Swing in Java.

Type

AWT components are heavyweight while Swing components are lightweight.

Platform Dependency

Another major difference between AWT and Swing in Java is that AWT is platform dependent while Swing is platform independent.

Display

Moreover, AWT does not support a pluggable look and feel. Swing supports a pluggable look and feel. This is also an important difference between AWT and Swing in Java.

Components

Also, Swing has more advanced components than AWT.

Speed

Furthermore, execution of AWT is slower. However, Swing executes faster.

MVC

AWT does not support MVC pattern while Swing supports MVC pattern. This is another difference between AWT and Swing.

Memory Space

Moreover, AWT components require more memory space while Swing components do not require much memory space.

Package

The programmer has to import the javax.awt package to develop an AWT-based GUI. However, the programmer has to import javax.swing package to write a Swing application.

Conclusion

In brief, AWT and Swing are two toolkits to build rich Graphical User Interfaces (GUI). The main difference between AWT and Swing in Java is that AWT is Java’s original platform dependent windowing, graphics and user interface widget toolkit while Swing is a GUI widget toolkit for Java that is an extension of AWT. 

Reference:

1. “AWT Overview.” Www.tutorialspoint.com, Available here.
2. “SWING Overview.” Www.tutorialspoint.com, Available here.
3. “Swing (Java).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 June 2018, Available here.
4. “Abstract Window Toolkit.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Aug. 2018, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Java Swings Wikibook, Event Handling, example 1 screenshot” By Samwilson – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia