Java Virtual Machine

JDK is a software development program provided by sun Microsystems. Java Development Kit or JDK comes in various version and can be downloaded free from the sun Microsystems. JVM compiler, debugger and other tools are used with JDK for developing java based application & java applets. So make sure that your JVM compiler & JDK versions are same. 

What is the Java Virtual Machine? What  is its role?

Java was designed with a concept of ‘write once and run everywhere’. Java Virtual Machine plays the central role in this concept. The JVM is the environment in which Java programs execute. It is a software that is implemented on top of real hardware and operating system. When the source code (.java files) is compiled, it is translated into byte codes and then placed into (.class) files. The JVM executes these bytecodes. So Java byte codes can be thought of as the machine language of the JVM. A JVM can either interpret the bytecode one instruction at a time or the bytecode can be compiled further for the real microprocessor using what is called a just-in-time compiler. The JVM must be implemented on a particular platform before compiled programs can run on that platform.