The Abstract Windowing Toolkit (AWT), the set of GUI classes put together by Sun starting with the first release of Java, has spawned a flock of foundation classes intended to improve its functionality and performance. Netscape introduced the Internet foundation classes, but Sun chose to develop the Java foundation classes. Microsoft, going its own way, introduced the application foundation classes (AFC) and then, with Visual J++ 6.0, the Windows foundation classes.

The AWT is part of every version of Java, but the various foundation classes may not be part of a particular Java implementation. Downloading a class library in order to run an applet that uses it is possible, but less attractive than using classes that are already on the local machine. Developers for users on platforms such as Internet Explorer 4.0, which comes with AFC, will find this book useful. It is divided into three parts: “The Basics,” “Using the UI Classes to Create User Interfaces,” and “Using the FX Classes to Create Graphics Effects.”

Part 1 contains two chapters. The third chapter introduces the user interface classes, while each of chapters 4 through 12 covers one control in detail. The reader designing user interfaces can read chapter 3 and then use chapters 4 through 12 like a cookbook, following the how-to instructions. Similarly, chapter 13 introduces the graphics classes, while chapters 14 through 18 cover specific graphics effects, with how-to instructions.

The book is a nicely organized presentation for those Java developers who are using the AFC to enhance the capabilities of the AWT.