List of Java APIs

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There are three types of Java Programming Language Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) :

the official core Java API, contained in the JDK or JRE, of one of the editions of the Java Platform. The three editions of the Java Platform are J2ME (Micro edition), J2SE (Standard edition), and J2EE (Enterprise edition).
optional official APIs that can be downloaded separately. The specification of these APIs are defined according to a Java Specification Request (JSR), and sometimes some of these APIs are later included in the core APIs of the platform (the most notable example of this kind is Swing).
unofficial APIs, developped by third parties, but not related to any JSRs.

It must be noted that third-parties can freely implement any JSR specifications for an official API (even for the core API of the language), providing that they conform to the Technology Compatibility Kit (TCK) for this JSR (the TCK is a suite of tests that checks conformance of implementations for a JSR). It results that a lot of official APIs have more implementations than the Sun's Reference implementation (RI).

The following is a partial list of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for the Java Programming Language.

1 Official APIs (Released by Sun Microsystems)
2 Unofficial APIs (Released by third parties)

[edit] Official APIs (Released by Sun Microsystems)

[edit] Java Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE)

[edit] Bundled APIs (part of standard download)

Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT) (consists of the java.awt package, first released with version 1.0)
Java Authentication and Authorization Service (JAAS) (consists of the javax.security.auth package, bundled since 1.4, previously released as an optional package to version 1.3)
Swing (consists of the javax.swing package, first released with version 1.2)
Java Secure Socket Extension (JSSE), a set of packages that enable secure Internet communications. Included as part of J2SE 1.4.x and later, JSSE 1.0.3 is an optional package to the Java 2 SDK, versions 1.2.x and 1.3.x.

[edit] Optional APIs (downloaded separately)

Java Advanced Imaging (JAI), an API which provides a set of interfaces that support a high-level programming model allowing to manipulate images easily.

Java Communications API (JCA)

Java Cryptography Extension (JCE) (available here)

Java Data Objects (JDO), a specification of Java object persistence.

JavaHelp, a full-featured, extensible help system that enables you to incorporate online help in applets, components, applications, operating systems, and devices.

Java Management Extensions (JMX), a technology that supplies tools for managing and monitoring applications, system objects, devices (e.g. printers) and service oriented networks.