Server-socket channels are not a complete abstraction of listening network sockets. Binding and the manipulation of socket options must be done through an associated ServerSocket object obtained by invoking the socket method. It is not possible to create a channel for an arbitrary, pre-existing server socket, nor is it possible to specify the SocketImpl object to be used by a server socket associated with a server-socket channel.

A server-socket channel is created by invoking the open method of this class. A newly-created server-socket channel is open but not yet bound. An attempt to invoke the accept method of an unbound server-socket channel will cause a NotYetBoundException to be thrown. A server-socket channel can be bound by invoking one of the bind methods of an associated server socket.

Server-socket channels are safe for use by multiple concurrent threads.