What is J2ME?

Java Platform, Micro Edition or "Java ME" (also referred to as Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition or J2ME), is a collection of Java APIs for the development of software for resource-constrained devices such as PDAs, cell phones and other consumer appliances. Java ME is formally a specification, although the term is frequently used to also refer to the runtime implementations of the specification. Java ME was developed under the Java Community Process as JSR 68. The evolution of the platform has abandoned the umbrella Java Specification Request in favor of separate JSRs for the different flavors of Java ME.

Java ME was designed by Sun Microsystems and is a replacement for a similar technology, PersonalJava. Note that Sun only provides a reference implementation and that most work targeting a non-Intel-based small device will require a vendor-supplied JVM to be available on the device.