Java is one of the most popular programming languages (JP) today. Refers to strictly typed object-oriented nuclear applications. Java is widely used in development at present.
The history of the Java language
This YAP was created in 1995 by Sun Microsystems. It was founded by James Gosling. Java was originally called Oak and was used to program household appliances. It is interesting that it got its current name from the name of the coffee brand, which, in turn, was named after the island of the same name. By the way, you can also see a cup of coffee on the logo.
In parallel with the programming language, a fundamentally new Star 7 PC was developed at that time. However, due to its high cost, it was not popular. The company also tried to find itself in the interactive TV industry, but this investment did not pay off either.
Features
When creating this programming language, a very important concept was implemented — write once, run everywhere, which translates from English as “write once, use everywhere”. So Java is essentially a cross-platform language. But only if the so-called Java Runtime Environment is installed and running on the system.
In addition, Java has its own mechanism for working with memory. After creating objects, the so-called garbage collector automatically clears memory after the objects are no longer used by the program.
As for the syntax, it's quite complicated. It is similar to the syntax of other development tools. Among the features are:
1. Java is case sensitive. For example, the two identifiers user and User in Java are completely different entities.
2. Java classes are named using UpperCamelCase. However, the file name must match the class name, taking into account case sensitivity.
3. Identifiers start with Latin letters, $, or underscores.
Where is the Java programming language used? Taking into account the fact that that YAP is a widely used language, Java is used in various fields. And today it is one of the most popular developer tools.
Java is used everywhere in large projects. For example, in server applications for large companies. Java can be found in educational projects and large portals.
Another important point is that Java is actively used in game development. For example, Minecraft is written in this YAP.
Java is also actively used in mobile development. In particular, Java is used to write applications that run on the Android operating system. For iOS, a different YAP is most often used - Swift.
In addition, client applications are created using the Java YAP. The most popular and well-known is the NetBeans development environment. Java is also used to work with Big Data.
In other words, the scope of application of this programming tool is very wide and is not limited to a specific niche. This is one of the reasons why Java is so popular compared to many other programming tools.
The advantages and disadvantages of Java
The advantages of using this programming language include:
1. This is an object-oriented language. So everything in Java is an object. Any add-on can be extended as it is based on the object model.
2. Cross-platform. Unlike many programming languages that compile on specific operating systems, Java is not tied to the OS. Instead, it can run on any operating system with the Java Runtime Environment.
3. Relative simplicity. Java can be considered a relatively simple programming language. Especially for those who understand OOP concepts.
4. A portable programming language. Java is not dependent on implementing aspects of the specification. The Java compiler is purely portable.
5. Optimized. Java has a fairly high speed, the ability to fix errors in any situation.
6. Dynamic. This language is designed to adapt to changing conditions.
7. Despite the fact that Java is less friendly to beginners than Python, it is still quite simple for developers. It is a predictable and typed language that allows learners to start thinking in the right direction right away.
8. Automatic memory management is another major advantage of this language. Java doesn't require you to write code that manages memory yourself. All this is available automatically through AMM (Automatic Memory Management).
9. A large developer community. This not only contributes to the growth of libraries and useful frameworks. For those who study Java, this is an opportunity to ask questions on various forums and thematic sites.
However, there are also drawbacks, some of which appeared not so long ago. For example, in 2019, it was reported that Oracle would charge for commercial use of Java Standard Edition 8. That is, bug fixes and new updates will no longer be free. Moreover, the tariff will depend on the number of users and computers.
Quite low performance. Java is a high-level language. Accordingly, its performance is rather low due to compilation and abstraction using a virtual machine. The same memory cleaning app is very useful. But it can lead to performance issues.
Another drawback is the lack of a native PC design. For example, Android Studio is available for development on Android. This does not exist for PCs.
The disadvantages of a programming language include a fairly complex code. We can say that Java is the lightweight version C++. When compared to Python, then the latter's code is much more concise.
Java code example
Traditionally, we'll use the line “Hello World” in code examples. Here's how it's implemented in Java:
System.out.println (Hello World);
As you can see, this line looks a little more complicated than the same one on Python or JavaScript.
Java Perspectives
In terms of popularity, State of Octoverse's 2019 version of Java is one of the most used YAPs. It is losing ground only Python et JavaScript. This suggests that Java is incredibly popular today and this trend is unlikely to decline in the near future.
Should I start studying Java today? Interest in this programming language is unlikely to fade away anytime soon. It contains a large number of programs that in the future will require at least support from developers, and at most, improvements, innovations, and so on. Accordingly, this will not leave Java programmers out of work for many years.
In addition, the trend is that the number of programs written in Java is not decreasing, but only increasing. Yes, competing languages are emerging that partially replace Java in various areas. But they are unlikely to be able to seriously undermine the position of this nuclear program.
Is Java easy to learn? In fact, it all depends on desire and aspiration. Java is considered to be one of the most beginner-friendly languages. Of course, it does not have the lightness and conciseness that is present in Python. However, the developers who created Java did their best to make it as easy to learn as possible.
In the learning process, it is important to understand the basic concepts of programming. The language itself is already secondary.
What are the prospects for kids starting to learn Java? Here we immediately note that a child aged 6-10 is unlikely to learn Java. Rather, he will learn general programming concepts through development environments such as Scratch or Snap!designed specifically to educate the little ones.
After working on their platforms, the child will be able to independently decide what programming language they will learn. In any case, demand for Java is unlikely to decrease in the near future.
