Which programming language is often used to create self-contained programs known as applets for web pages?

Java is frequently used to create self-contained programs known as applets for integration into web pages. Applets are small applications that can be embedded within HTML pages, allowing them to run directly in a web browser as part of the client-side environment. Java's platform independence, which stems from the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), enables applets to run on any system that has a compatible JVM installed, making them versatile for web distribution.

The reliance on Java for applets was particularly significant during the earlier stages of web development when dynamic content was in its infancy. Java's robust development framework and security features also made it an attractive choice for designing interactive web applications that could operate within users' browsers.

While Python, C++, and JavaScript are powerful programming languages in their own right, they are not commonly associated with the creation of applets for web pages. Python is often used for server-side scripting, C++ is generally utilized for system-level programming, and JavaScript is focused more on client-side scripting, dynamic content control, and enhancing user interfaces rather than the applet model Java uses.