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Web Browser Java Support
Most of the commonly available web browsers have some level of support for Java, but the actual level of support tends to vary between browsers and versions. The table below is intended as a guide to the versions of Java supported in commonly available web browser software. To the best of my knowledge, all web browsers only support the Core API for any particular version of Java, so extensions, eg Java Advanced Imaging, are unlikely to be available in any web browser, although you may be able to set up your applet so that they required extensions are downloaded with it. Also, some API's (eg Swing) which were originally separate from the main JDK might not be available in some browsers which only support earlier versions of Java.
| Web Browser | Version | Java Support |
|---|---|---|
| Netscape | 3 | Java 1.0.2 only. Some bugs. |
| 4.x | Java 1.0.2 + Some elements of Java 1.1, mostly relating to the new AWT event model. | |
| 4.8 | Same JVM as other 4.x series browsers, but has a config option allowing use Java Plugin through Applet tag if installed. | |
| 6+ | See Mozilla. | |
| Mozilla & Mozilla Firefox(Gecko) | All | Full support if Java Plugin is installed. |
| Internet Explorer | 3 | Java 1.0.2 only |
| 4 | Java 1.0.2 + Some elements of Java 1.1, mostly relating to the new AWT event model. | |
| 5.x | Java support appears to be unchanged from IE 4. Java 1.2 stuff tends to crash with "can't find class errors". | |
| 6 | Still uses the same JVM as IE 4/5 by default. However, if you have the Sun Java Runtime Environment installed a tick box appears in the advanced options allowing you to use this instead for applet support via the applet tag. | |
| 7 | Should use java plugin by default if it is available. | |
| Opera | 4 | Claims to be supplied with sun java plugin for java support via the applet tag. Doesn't say which version, likely to be 1.2 or 1.3. |
| 5 | Claims that Java is now integrated (ie they supply the sun plugin as part of the installer), website mentions Java 2.12 (???). Could be a typo for Java 1.2.2. | |
| 6 | 2 versions available, one with and one without Java 1.3 plugin. | |
| Konqueror (KDE) | 1.9 + | Automatically detects and uses the Java VM installed on your system, so Java support will depend on the system setup. |
Sun Java Plugin
Netscape 3/4 and Internet Explorer 4/5 can be made to run Java 1.2+ applets by using the Sun Java Plugin. Unfortunately unlike the more modern Mozilla and Opera browsers, the plugin doesn't work through the Applet Tag on these browsers. A special tag is required to access the plugin for these browsers and the tag required is different in IE to that used by Netscape.
Derived Browsers
The above list represents the current major browser types. Some other browsers use the same rendering components as these browsers, so Java support for these browsers should (in theory) be the same. A few derived browsers are listed below :
| Web Browser | Rendering component |
|---|---|
| Galleon (Gnome) | Uses the Gecko rendering engine from mozilla/netscape 6+ |
| AOL | Currently based on Internet Explorer, though Compuserve subsidiary has recently been trying a Gecko based browser. It is expected that AOL will ultimately switch to Gecko. |
| Safari (Apple) | Uses the KHTML rendering engine developed by KDE for Konqueror |
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Page last modified :
12 October 2007