The Differences Between JRE & JDK
Java is a programming language developed by James Gosling in 1995. It has since been expanded and is an essential part of Web programming. Developers use the JDK (Java Development Kit) to program Java code and JRE (Java Runtime Environment) to run these Java scripts.
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JVM
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Both the JDK and JRE include the JVM, or Java Virtual Machine. Its function is to load the files so that a Java script can run and then run the script. Java script files are typically called .class files. The JVM can be seen as the element that bridges the JDK and the JRE, as both contain the same JVM for any given script, which is necessary for it to run properly.
Running Java
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To run a Java program, you must have either a JDK or a JRE installed. Both will use information from the script's JVM to run the Java program. The difference is that JRE can only run the script, while the JDK contains the tools necessary to debug any problems that may be encountered when running the script. However, both tools run the script in the same way, and if you wish only to run Java scripts, then JRE is perfectly suitable.
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Programming
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The Java Development Kit contains tools that are necessary to program Java scripts. This includes tools that convert code into the actual script, help the developer locate problems and conflicts, and compile the code into a workable script. If you wish to develop Java script code of your own, then JDK is absolutely necessary, as JRE does not feature this capability.
Libraries
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A class library for Java is a collection of resources used by the program to run and develop scripts. The JRE contains some standard libraries and only those that are necessary to run Java scripts. The JDK, in addition to its programming tools, contains all standard libraries so that any kind of Java script can be programmed by the developer and then run, debugged and compiled for proper functionality in a JRE.
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References
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