HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol)The underlying protocol used by the World Wide Web. HTTP defines how messages are formatted and transmitted, and what actions Web servers and browsers…
hubrisExcessive pride, the sort of thing Zeus zaps you for. Also the quality that makes you write (and maintain) programs that other people won't want to say…
if statementA control structure used to choose between performing or not performing further actions.
if-else statementA control structure used to choose between performing one of two alternative actions.
IIOPInternet Inter-ORB Protocol. A protocol used for communication between CORBA object request brokers.
image mapAn image divided into logical areas, each of which has a hot spot.
immutable objectAn object whose state may not be changed. Objects of the String class are immutable, for instance - their length and contents are fixed once created.
impatienceThe anger you feel when the computer is being lazy. This makes you write programs that don't just react to your needs, but actually anticipate them.
imperative programmingThe style of programming usually associated with languages such as C, Fortran, Pascal and so on.
impersonationThe ability of a thread to run in the security context of a security principal different from the security principal that started the process.
ImplementationHow a piece of code actually goes about doing its job. Users of the code should not count on implementation details staying the same unless they are part…
implementsA Java keyword included in the class declaration to specify any interfaces that are implemented by the current class.
implements clauseThat part of of a class header that indicates which interfaces are implemented by the class. A class may implement more than one interface.
implicit type conversionType conversion that does not require a cast. Implicit type conversions typically do not involve any loss of information.
ImportData brought into an environment or application which has been exported from another environment or application.
import statementA statement that makes the names of one or more classes or interfaces available in a different package from the one in which they are defined.
inconsistent stateA state that an object should not be in. A class needs to be carefully designed in order to ensure that none of its instances can get into an inconsistent…
incrementTo increase the value of something by 1 (or by some other number, if so specified).
increment operatorAn operator (++) that adds one to its operand. It has two forms: pre-increment (++x) and post-increment (x++).
indirect filehandleAn "expression" that evaluates to something that can be used as a "filehandle": a "string" (filehandle name), a "typeglob", a typeglob "reference", or a…
indirect objectIn English grammar, a short noun phrase between a verb and its direct object indicating the beneficiary or recipient of the action.
indirect object slotThe syntactic position falling between a method call and its arguments when using the indirect object invocation syntax.
indirect recursionRecursion that results from method Y calling method X, when an existing call from X to Y is still in progress.
indirectionIf something in a program isn't the value you're looking for but indicates where the value is, that's indirection.
infinite loopA loop whose termination test never evaluates to false. Sometimes this is a deliberate act on the part of the programmer, using a construct such as…
infinite recursionRecursion that does not terminate. This can result from any of direct recursion, indirect recursion or mutual recursion.
infixAn "operator" that comes in between its operands, such as multiplication in 24 * 7.
information hidingThe practice of ensuring that only as much information is revealed about the implementation of a class as is strictly required.
inheritanceThe transmission of genes and phenotypes from generation to generation.
inheritance hierarchyThe relationship between super classes and sub classes is known as an inheritance hierarchy.
integerA number without a decimal (0, 1, 25, 173, 1032, etc.). Integer values can be less than, equal to, or greater than zero.
interface(1) A shared boundary defined by common physical interconnection characteristics, signal characteristics, and meanings of interchanged signals.
interface inheritanceWhen a class implements an interface, an interface inheritance relationship exists between them.
InternetA worldwide network of networks that all use the TCP/IP communications protocol and share a common address space.
Internet Service ProviderAn Internet Service Provider (ISP) provides connections to the Internet for users who do not have their own network.
interpolationThe estimation of z values of a surface at an unsampled point based on the known z values of surrounding points.
interpretational inner classAn inner class whose role is to provide a view or interpretation of data belong to its enclosing class, but independent of the data's actual…
interpreterA program which executes a translated version of a source program by implementing a virtual machine.
interprocess communicationThe ability of two or more separate processes to communicate with one another.
interruptAn asynchronous message sent to a process or thread that interrupts what it is currently doing.
invocantThe agent on whose behalf a "method" is invoked. In a "class" method, the invocant is a package name.
invocationThe act of calling up a deity, daemon, program, method, subroutine, or function to get it do what you think it's supposed to do.
IO(1) Information Operations. (2) Integrated Optic.
IPWithin the peritoneal cavity (the area that contains the abdominal organs). Also called intraperitoneal.
IP AddressA string of four numbers separated by periods used to represent a computer on the Internet.
is-aA relationship between two objects in which one object is considered to be a more specific version of the other, generic object: "A camel is a mammal.
J2EE applicationAny deployable unit of J2EE functionality. This can be a single J2EE module or a group of modules packaged into an EAR file along with a J2EE application…
J2EE componentA self-contained functional software unit supported by a container and configurable at deployment time.
J2EE moduleA software unit that consists of one or more J2EE components of the same container type and one deployment descriptor of that type.
J2EE productAn implementation that conforms to the J2EE platform specification.
Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE)An environment for developing and deploying enterprise applications. The J2EE platform consists of a set of services, application programming interfaces…