When most people think of the Java programming language, they think of the Java SE API. Java SE's API provides the core functionality of the Java programming language. It defines everything from the basic types and objects of the Java programming language to high-level classes that are used for networking, security, database access, graphical user interface (GUI) development, and XML parsing. In addition to the core API, the Java SE platform consists of a virtual machine, development
tools, deployment technologies, and other class libraries and toolkits commonly used in Java technology applications.
当大家说Java编程语言的时候，他们说的都是Java SE API, Java SE API 提供Java编程语言的核心功能。它定义了Java编程语言的一切从基本的类型和对象到更高级的被用于网络和安全以及数据库的类，GUI，XML解析的类。除了核心的API， Java SE平台由一个虚拟机，开发工具和其他的类库以及通常被Java应用程序使用的工具箱组成。
Java EE
The Java EE platform is built on top of the Java SE platform. The Java EE platform provides an API and runtime environment for developing and running large-scale, multi-tiered, scalable, reliable, and secure network applications.
The Java ME platform provides an API and a small-footprint virtual machine for running Java programming language applications on small devices, like mobile phones. The API is a subset of the Java SE API, along with special class libraries useful for small device application development. Java ME applications are often clients of Java EE platform services.
Java ME平台提供一组API和一个精简的JVM来在小型的设备或者手机上运行Java语言， 他的API是Java SE API的子集， Java ME应用程序通常是Java EE 平台服务的客户端。
JavaFX
JavaFX is a platform for creating rich internet applications using a lightweight user-interface API. JavaFX applications use hardware-accelerated graphics and media engines to take
advantage of higher-performance clients and a modern look-and-feel as well as high-level APIs for connecting to networked data sources. JavaFX applications may be clients of Java EE platform services.
JavaFX是一个用于创建RIA的平台，类似于Windows 平台的WPF，JavaFX使用硬件加速和多媒体引擎来更好的发挥高性能客户端的性能，并且得到一个现代的视觉体验，同时提供了一组高级的API来链接网络数据资源，JavaFX应用程序可以是Java EE 平台服务的客户端。