Java is one of the most widely employed programming languages today. It offers users great versatility, without sacrificing any power. In this respect, it shares similar qualities with Internet Explorer, the widely-used and highly flexible browser. A hybrid somehow combining the seemingly distinct programs could not be anything else but a natural resolution of things.

Although not a browser as understood by end-user standards, JExplorer provides software engineers with a powerful development API to integrate Microsoft IE in their Java applications. Integration is achieved via the browser's MSHTML library, ensuring complete compatibility with no versatility and power sacrifices.

The API supports customized JavaScript code and a sample application can be found in the default download. One of the great features of this API is that it preserves all the GUI elements that make IE so easy to employ. Also, all the standard operations are supported, such as downloading pages, online browsing or printing resources.

The component can also be tailor-made to the developer's needs; for example, one can define custom menus and access to the DOM allows one to modify element attributes as well as to adjust styles and even define event triggers.

Other functions include support for persistent and session cookies, Internet proxies, website captures, as well as more advanced settings (e.g. selectively disabling ActiveX controls or control over pop-up blockers).

To sum up, JExplorer is is a comprehensive library that combines the power of Java with the versatility of Internet Explorer.