Using JTextField and JPasswordField import java.awt.*; import java.awt.event.*; import javax.swing.*; public class TextFieldTest extends JFrame { private JTextField text1, text2, text3; private JPasswordField password; public TextFieldTest() { super( "Testing JTextField and JPasswordField" ); Container c = getContentPane(); c.setLayout( new FlowLayout() ); // construct textfield with default sizing text1 = new JTextField( 10 ); c.add( text1 ); // construct textfield with default text text2 = new JTextField( "Enter text here" ); c.add( text2 ); // construct textfield with default text and // 20 visible elements and no event handler text3 = new JTextField( "Uneditable text field", 20 ); text3.setEditable( false ); c.add( text3 ); // construct textfield with default text password = new JPasswordField( "Hidden text" ); c.add( password ); TextFieldHandler handler = new TextFieldHandler(); text1.addActionListener( handler ); text2.addActionListener( handler ); text3.addActionListener( handler ); password.addActionListener( handler ); setSize( 325, 100 ); show(); } public static void main( String args[] ) { TextFieldTest app = new TextFieldTest(); app.addWindowListener( new WindowAdapter() { public void windowClosing( WindowEvent e ) { System.exit( 0 ); } } ); } private class TextFieldHandler implements ActionListener { public void actionPerformed( ActionEvent e ) { String s = ""; if ( e.getSource() == text1 ) s = "text1: " + e.getActionCommand(); else if ( e.getSource() == text2 ) s = "text2: " + e.getActionCommand(); else if ( e.getSource() == text3 ) s = "text3: " + e.getActionCommand(); else if ( e.getSource() == password ) { JPasswordField pwd = (JPasswordField) e.getSource(); s = "password: " + new String( pwd.getPassword() ); } JOptionPane.showMessageDialog( null, s ); } } }