The listener interface for receiving component events. The class that is interested in processing a component event either implements this interface (and all the methods it contains) or extends the abstract ComponentAdapter class (overriding only the methods of interest). The listener object created from that class is then registered with a component using the component's addComponentListener method. When the component's size, location, or visibility changes, the relevant method in the listener object is invoked, and the ComponentEvent is passed to it.

Component events are provided for notification purposes ONLY; The AWT will automatically handle component moves and resizes internally so that GUI layout works properly regardless of whether a program registers a ComponentListener or not.