Want to make a Minecraft server so you can play with your friends? It's easier than you'd think, thanks to numerous options that allow tons of flexibility.

In contrast, Java is specific to PC platforms (Windows, macOS, and Linux) and does not natively support cross-platform play with consoles or mobile devices.

Here we examine not only the motivation for Java's platform independence, but how the JVM and bytecode make Java's cross-platform capabilities possible.