Introduction to Swing

•Swing package provides classes which are an extension of the classes defined in the AWT package.
•Swing components are more powerful and flexible than the components available in AWT package.
•The components in Swing package will have a modern look and feel in contrast to the AWT components.
•Swing components are used more over the AWT components due to three reasons:
1.The AWT components are translated into native components based on the operating system. They do not have the same look and feel in every operating system.
2.The look and feel of the AWT components is fixed.
3.AWT components are heavy weight components. They are rectangular in shape and opaque.

•Swing is built on AWT. Swing is not a replacement for AWT.
•Swing package provides two important features:
1.Swing components are light weight components.
2.Swing supports pluggable look and feel.
•Java SE 6 provides to look and feels: Metal and Motif.
•Metal is the default look and feel of Swing components. Metal is a platform independent look and feel.