Hi i am rafiq,
What is the difference between Swing and AWT components?
AWT vs. Swing
There are, of course, both pros and cons to using either set of components from the JFC in your Java applications. Here is a summary:
AWT:
Pros
Speed: use of native peers speeds component performance.
Applet Portability: most Web browsers support AWT classes so AWT applets can run without the Java plugin.
Look and Feel: AWT components more closely reflect the look and feel of the OS they run on.
Cons
Portability: use of native peers creates platform specific limitations. Some components may not function at all on some platforms.
Third Party Development: the majority of component makers, including Borland and Sun, base new component development on Swing components. There is a much smaller set of AWT components available, thus placing the burden on the programmer to create his or her own AWT-based components.
Features: AWT components do not support features like icons and tool-tips.
Swing:
Pros
Portability: Pure Java design provides for fewer platform specific limitations.
Behavior: Pure Java design allows for a greater range of behavior for Swing components since they are not limited by the native peers that AWT uses.
Features: Swing supports a wider range of features like icons and pop-up tool-tips for components.
Vendor Support: Swing development is more active. Sun puts much more energy into making Swing robust.
Look and Feel: The pluggable look and feel lets you design a single set of GUI components that can automatically have the look and feel of any OS platform (Microsoft Windows, Solaris, Macintosh, etc.). It also makes it easier to make global changes to your Java programs that provide greater accessibility (like picking a hi-contrast color scheme or changing all the fonts in all dialogs, etc.).
Cons
Applet Portability: Most Web browsers do not include the Swing classes, so the Java plugin must be used.
Performance: Swing components are generally slower and buggier than AWT, due to both the fact that they are pure Java and to video issues on various platforms. Since Swing components handle their own painting (rather than using native API’s like DirectX on Windows) you may run into graphical glitches.
Look and Feel: Even when Swing components are set to use the look and feel of the OS they are run on, they may not look like their native counterparts.
In general, AWT components are appropriate for simple applet development or development that targets a specific platform (i.e. the Java program will run on only one platform).
For most any other Java GUI development you will want to use Swing components. Also note that the Borland value-added components included with JBuilder, like dbSwing and JBCL, are based on Swing components so if you wish to use these components you will want to base your development on Swing.