Java is a popular programming language used for app development, desktop computing, and gaming. It was created by James Gosling, Mike Sheridan, and Patrick Naughton at Sun Microsystems, later acquired by Oracle. In 1995, Java was introduced for smart TVs; ironically, the technology was too advanced for cable TV. Its ability to run on any platform quickly made Java the industry standard for internet programming.
Between mid-2015 and 2021, Java consistently ranked among the top 10 programming languages according to the TIOBE programming language popularity index. Currently, Java holds the top spot in terms of popularity among programming languages as of September 2021. It may be for this reason that Java remains the primary language used on the AP Computer Science exam. Java knowledge will undoubtedly be helpful to students in their studies of computer science.
What is Java?
Java is a programming language used to create software that is compatible with a variety of operating systems. It is a two-stage programming language, meaning that it is compiled and interpreted. Due to the fact that it does not compile directly to an executable file, it differs from most other compiled languages.
Java Byte Code is a binary representation of the Java code. It is compiled first and then translated into a binary form. Finally, the JBC is compiled and interpreted into the native language of the target operating system. Because of this contrasting behavior, developers are able to write code once and run it anywhere.This feature became a popular concept, highly sought after by developers; it is called “Write Once, Run Anywhere” (WORA). WORA became the slogan for Sun Microsystems in 1995.
What is Java used for?
The Java programming language is widely used for creating software applications, Android applications, server-side technology, and more.
It’s one of the world’s most popular programming languages that has as few implementation dependencies as possible so that compiled Java code will run on all platforms that support Java without needing to be recompiled.
Object-oriented Java is widely used for a variety of purposes, including client-server web applications, Android applications, and analytic data processing. As a programming language and the underlying software that helps developers write and operate it effectively, C++ offers a high degree of versatility and has continuously adapted over time to meet developer demands. For other use cases, highly efficient and recently developed languages have emerged to replace Java. As an example, Kotlin has largely replaced Java as the language for developing Android applications.
Types of Java Applications
Java is used to create four types of applications:
1) Standalone Application
A standalone application can also be called a desktop application or a window-based application. These are traditional software applications that need to be installed on every computer. An example of a standalone application is a media player, an antivirus program, etc. AWT and Swing are used in Java for creating standalone applications.
2) Enterprise Application
A distributed application, such as a banking application, has advantages such as high-level security, load balancing, and clustering. EJB is used to create enterprise applications in Java.
3) Web Application
An application that runs on the server side and creates dynamic pages is called a web application. For web applications in Java, Servlet, JSP, Struts, Spring, Hibernate, JSF, etc. technologies are used.
4) Mobile Application
An application that is designed specifically for mobile devices is known as a mobile application. Application developers currently use Android and Java ME to create mobile applications.
Features Of java
There are several qualities and features of Java, including:
- Easy-to-understand and easy-to-learn syntax
- It is robust to use Java
- Errors in the C and C++ languages are eliminated
- The Java programming language includes features such as garbage collectors and exception handling
- Java can run on any platform because it is a portable language
- The Java programming language is secure and multitasking-capable
- Java does not perform as well as C or C++, but it is faster than any other language
Now that we have discussed the different features of Java, let’s examine the different components of Java.
Final thoughts
Our study of Java’s applications comes to a close. There are many applications for this popular language, as well as extensive support and a wide variety of libraries. There are a number of reasons why you should begin learning Java. This is a future-proof, high-demand skill that’s needed across a wide range of industries.