Java, introduced by Sun Microsystems in 1995, is an object-oriented, cross-platform programming language capable of creating various applications, including applets that run in web browsers. The Java Development Kit (JDK) provides necessary tools for compiling, debugging, and executing Java programs, while the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) ensures platform independence by interpreting Java bytecode. Key features of Java include simplicity, robustness, security, and multithreading, making it suitable for diverse programming needs.