<P> Java bytecode is the instruction set of the Java virtual machine (JVM). </P> <P> A Java programmer does not need to be aware of or understand Java bytecode at all . However, as suggested in the IBM developerWorks journal, "Understanding bytecode and what bytecode is likely to be generated by a Java compiler helps the Java programmer in the same way that knowledge of assembly helps the C or C++ programmer ." </P>

What is byte code in the context of java