Last week, Sun made available a pre-release of the Java FX development kit for NetBeans. This preview provides web scripters, designers and Java developers with a preview of the runtime and tools needed to create Rich Internet Applications on the Java platform. You can download the JavaFX Preview release, explore the code samples and tutorials, start writing JavaFX applications, and provide feedback to Sun. You can find the bits on the new Java FX site, www.javafx.com.

Java FX is a family of products that includes the language (Java FX Script), a runtime and interface for mobile phones (Java FX Mobile), and a runtime for other devices, such as set-top boxes (Java FX TV). And don't forget, Java FX applications run just as well on the desktop on top of Java SE. 

At JavaOne 2008, one Java FX application was shown running, unchanged, within a browser, then on the desktop as a standalone application (after being dragged out of the browser), then on a mobile phone, and finally within an emulator running Google's Android. What this means to you is that one application (and one application code base) will run on all possible computing environments without change.

If you're new to Java FX, John O'Conner has written an excellent series on Java FX Script on Sun's Java site:

Part 1: Exploring Java FX Script

Part 2: Declarative User Interfaces 

Part 3: Java FX Script Functions

Part 4: Accessing A Web Service

 The last part reveals something about Java FX that's important: it's not just a better UI language. It's 100% compatible with Java, and you can access all of it from Java FX. You're not restricted in any way.

(Curiously, the javafx.com site appears to be written in JavaScript and Flash. Hmmm.) 

Happy coding!

-EJB