How does Java handle multithreading? Explain the differences between the Thread class and the Runnable interface.

Java handles multithreading using the Thread class and the Runnable interface. You can create a new thread by extending the Thread class or implementing the Runnable interface. Extending Thread class limits the ability to extend other classes, so implementing Runnable interface is often preferred, as it allows the class to extend other classes if needed.

Example using Runnable interface:

public class MyRunnable implements Runnable {
    public void run() {
        // code to be executed in the new thread
    }
}

Thread thread = new Thread(new MyRunnable());
thread.start();