The Java 3D API is a hierarchy of Java classes which serve as the interface to a sophisticated threedimensional
graphics rendering and sound rendering system. The programmer works with high-level
constructs for creating and manipulating 3D geometric objects. These geometric objects reside in a
virtual universe, which is then rendered. The API is designed with the flexibility to create precise virtual
universes of a wide variety of sizes, from astronomical to subatomic.
Despite all this functionality, the API is still straightforward to use. The details of rendering are handled
automatically. By taking advantage of Java threads, the Java 3D renderer is capable of rendering in
parallel. The renderer can also automatically optimize for improved rendering performance.
A Java 3D program creates instances of Java 3D objects and places them into a scene graph data
structure. The scene graph is an arrangement of 3D objects in a tree structure that completely specifies
the content of a virtual universe, and how it is to be rendered.