Construct the list component
import java.awt.BorderLayout; import java.awt.event.WindowAdapter; import java.awt.event.WindowEvent; import java.awt.event.WindowListener; import javax.swing.JFrame; import javax.swing.JList; import javax.swing.JScrollPane; public class SimpleList extends JFrame { protected JList list; public SimpleList() { super("Simple Swing List"); setSize(500, 240); String[] item = { "First", "Second", "Third" }; list = new JList(item); JScrollPane scrollPane = new JScrollPane(); scrollPane.getViewport().add(list); getContentPane().add(scrollPane, BorderLayout.CENTER); WindowListener exit = new WindowAdapter() { public void windowClosing(WindowEvent e) { System.exit(0); } }; addWindowListener(exit); setVisible(true); } public static void main(String argv[]) { new SimpleList(); } }