JavaFX is a set of Java libraries and tools for building rich, interactive, and platform-independent graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and multimedia applications. It provides a modern and feature-rich alternative to the older Swing toolkit for Java desktop application development. JavaFX is part of the Java Platform, Standard Edition (Java SE) and is designed to simplify the creation of visually appealing and dynamic user interfaces.

Key features and components of JavaFX include:

1. Rich User Interfaces: JavaFX allows developers to create visually stunning and responsive user interfaces with support for modern UI components, styles, and themes. It includes features like CSS styling and animations.

2. FXML: JavaFX supports FXML, an XML-based markup language for defining user interfaces declaratively. This separation of UI design from application logic promotes clean and maintainable code.

3. Scene Graph: JavaFX uses a scene graph-based rendering model, which represents the UI components and their hierarchy as a tree of nodes. This model makes it easy to create complex UI structures.

4. Java API: JavaFX provides a rich set of Java APIs for creating and manipulating UI components, handling events, and managing application state. It integrates seamlessly with the Java programming language.

5. Media and Multimedia: JavaFX includes built-in support for multimedia playback, including audio and video. It also offers 2D and 3D graphics capabilities.

6. Web Integration: JavaFX allows you to embed web content using the WebView component, enabling the integration of web-based content and applications into your desktop application.

7. 3D Graphics: JavaFX supports 3D graphics rendering, making it suitable for applications that require 3D visualizations and simulations.

8. Charting: JavaFX provides a set of charting components for creating various types of charts and graphs, such as bar charts, pie charts, and line charts.

9. Animation: JavaFX supports animations and transitions, allowing you to create smooth and visually appealing effects in your UI.

10. Concurrency: JavaFX includes concurrency utilities to help manage multi-threading and ensure that UI updates are performed on the JavaFX application thread.

11. Cross-Platform: JavaFX applications can be deployed on multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile devices (through JavaFX ports like JavaFX Mobile).

12. Open Source: JavaFX is an open-source project and is part of the OpenJFX initiative, making it accessible to the Java community for development and contributions.

13. Integrated Development Environment (IDE) Support: Popular Java IDEs like IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, and NetBeans provide support for JavaFX development, including visual UI design tools.