JXTA in a Nutshell

Chapter 2. Getting Started with JXTA

In this chapter, we’ll see how to get started with JXTA. Although JXTA is a language- and platform-neutral specification, we’ll focus on using the standard JXTA applications for the Java platform. The basic concepts that you’ll learn in this chapter are applicable to any JXTA implementation using any language; we chose to illustrate the concepts of JXTA using the Java platform because it allows for the simplest discussion of JXTA concepts, and because the Java platform gives us a common basis for our examples, regardless of the computer on which you might run them.

We’ll start by discussing how to set up a Java environment to run JXTA programs. Then we’ll look in depth at one particular program: the JXTA Shell. Examining the shell will allow us to look in depth at each of the protocols and techniques that JXTA defines; working through the examples in this chapter should provide you with a working knowledge of the key concepts of the JXTA platform and how programs operate within that platform.

Setting Up a Java Environment

The first step in using JXTA is to set up your environment. In this case, that means setting up a Java environment to run JXTA, for which you’ll need three things: a Java platform, the JXTA Java class libraries, and any JXTA programs that you want to run.

The Java Platform

For the Java platform, you’ll need the Java 2 Standard Edition (J2SE), Version 1.3.1 or later (Version 1.4 is preferred). Multiple implementations of the ...