What is Java Programming?
We all know that there are numerous programming languages, and each one has its own benefits and specialities. For example, Python is preferred for programming Artificial intelligence and machine learning, C++ is used for modularizing C programs using objects and classes, SQL is used for database management systems, etc.
In this article, we will be looking at a very widely known programming language: Java. We shall look into topics like what Java is, and what are the various technical and business benefits of Java. We shall also look at the types of Java applications, and the different versions of Java, and briefly touch on the topics of Java runtime environment and Java virtual machine.
So, what is Java?
It is pretty obvious that Java is a programming language. However, if you want a more sciencey definition of it, it is a general-purpose, and object-oriented programming language designed for having fewer implementation dependencies.
Java is essentially a fast, and reliable computing platform which is very secure for application development. This programming language has been a popular choice among developers for over two decades. Today, there are millions of Java applications in use.
Ok, a quick history lesson: In the year 1995, a genius called James Gosling from sun microsystems developed Java. Fun fact, Java was first named “oak”. However, since Oak was an already registered company, James Gosling and his team changed the name to Java.
Before we proceed with further subheadings, let us also understand what a Java platform is. Technically speaking, a Java platform is a collection of programs that help developers to efficiently develop and run Java programs. Java platforms are a set of computer software and specifications that include an execution engine, a compiler, and a set of libraries.
What are the applications of Java?
Firstly, Java is free to use, and it is very versatile. However, before we discuss why Java is a popular choice among software developers today, let us actually see some applications of Java.
1. Developing games
Numerous popular video games (both mobile and computer games) are built using Java technology as it has the capability to integrate advanced technology like machine learning or virtual reality.
2. Cloud computing
Java is sometimes nicknamed “WORA” – Write Once and Run Anywhere. This Java is perfect for decentralized cloud-based applications. This is why Java is used to run programs on a wide range of underlying platforms.
3. Artificial Intelligence
As discussed above, Java is the powerhouse of libraries, especially machine learning and artificial intelligence libraries. Moreover, the stability and speed of Java make it ideal for artificial intelligence applications like NLP (natural language processing), big data, and deep learning.
4. Internet of Things
IoT is a collection of sensors, and Java has been used to program sensors and hardware in edge devices that can connect independently to the internet.
These applications barely even scratch the surface; Java is issued for countless applications like developing Android Apps, creating Enterprise Software, building a wide range of mobile Java Applications, Scientific Computing Applications, and Server-Side Technologies like Apache, JBoss, GlassFish, etc.
Reasons Why is Java so Popular
We saw some of the numerous applications of Java, but what makes it so popular among modern-day developers?
1. High-quality documentation
If there is anything developers and programmers love, it has to be documentation, and since Java has been around for a long time, it has many learning resources. Its state-of-the-art documentation, comprehensive books, and courses help programmers through the learning curve.
2. Immense collection of functions and libraries
One perk of using Java is that you don’t have to write every new function from scratch, as Java provides a rich ecosystem of built-in functions and libraries to develop a range of applications.
3. Community support
Since Java has millions of active users and a community that can support developers, programmers feel at home as they get instant help when they face coding challenges.
4. Security
While using Java, untrusted code cannot infect the host system with a virus because the virus cannot read or write files from the hard drive. Programmers can also download Java code over an untrusted network and still run the code in a secure environment in which it cannot corrupt the system.
5. Platform independent
Java is independent of the operating systems you are running it in. The underlying platform can be anything like Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Solaris, Unix, etc., and Java will run perfectly fine with all of its features.
6. Development tools
Java supports numerous tools like automated editing, debugging, testing, deployment, and change management. Such tools are boons for programmers and developers as they make coding time and cost-efficient.
How does Java Work?
The essence of all programming languages is to communicate with machines. We know that machine hardware only responds to electronic communication; therefore, we need high-level programming languages like Java to act as a bridge between human language and hardware language.
There are two things a developer needs to understand to use Java:
1. Java APIs
API is the acronym for application program interface. They are important software components bundled with the Java Platform. APIs are essentially pre-written Java programs that can plug and play existing functionality into your own code. In simple English, API is the front-end communication between the developer and the Java platform.
2. Java virtual machine
JVM is used to convert Java bytecode into machine language. It is basically an engine that provides a runtime environment to drive Java Code or applications. Again, in simple English, JVM is the back-end communication between the Java platform and the underlying hardware.
Once you have the JDK (Java Development Kit), you can write the code. The compiler turns the Java bytecode (instruction set for the JVM), and then, the bytecode runs without modification on any system that supports JVMs.
A brief look at the Syntax of Java
Pretty much everything in Java is a class, so everything that needs to be executed must be enclosed in a class too. In the example shown below, the name of the class is “Main”. Always remember that a class must begin with a capital letter. It is good practice to follow naming conventions.
The main method is needed in all programs. This method is where the code starts executing. To print anything, you use the method “System.out.println().”
Example:
public class Main
{
public static void main(String[] args)
{
System.out.println("FirstCode");
}
}
Output:
FirstCode
NOTE: you must name your Java file the same name as your class. Your file name should always end with “.java.”
What does the Java runtime environment mean?
Before we proceed to further topics, let us take a moment to see what JRE is. JRE or Java Runtime Environment is a software designed to run other software. Sounds perplexing, right? Well, in simple terms, JRE contains class libraries, loader classes, and JVM.
It is pretty obvious that JRE is very important as it uses important package classes like math, swing, util, lang, awt, and runtime libraries. The Java runtime environment contains only class libraries, JVM, and other supporting files.
Types of Java Applications
Primarily, there are four types of applications of Java, they are:
1. Standalone application
These are desktop applications or window-based applications – traditional software that are required to be installed on every machine. Some examples of this application of Java include Media Player, antivirus, etc.
2. Web application
Web application creates a dynamic page and runs on the server side. Numerous technologies like JSP, Struts, Servlet, Hibernate, Spring, JSF, and many more are used to create web applications in Java.
3. Mobile application
These Java applications are created for mobile devices. As of today, Java ME and Android are used for creating mobile applications.
4. Enterprise application
These applications of Java have benefits like high-level security, load balancing, and clustering. These applications are created using EJB.
Various Java editions
Java programming language comes with numerous platforms/editions that serve different purposes. There are four types of Java platforms, they are:
1. Java, Standard Edition
The SE API of Java defines all the bases of type and object to high-level classes. This platform of Java is typically used for networking, security, database access, graphical user interface development, XML parsing, and much more.
2. Java Enterprise Edition
The EE API of Java offers a JRE (Java Runtime Environment) that helps programmers develop and run highly scalable, large-scale, multi-tiered, reliable, and secure network applications.
3. Java micro edition
The ME edition of Java programming language provides small-footprint virtual machines running Java programming language applications on small devices, like mobile phones.
4. Java FX
The FX edition of Java helps programmers in developing rich internet applications using a lightweight user-interface API. Java FX’s user hardware-accelerated graphics and media engines provide a modern look-and-feel and high-level APIs for connecting to networked data sources.
What are the benefits of using Java?
Java has numerous benefits; let us take a look at some of them before we discuss the technical and business benefits of the Java programming language.
Java is one of the easy, easy-to-use programming languages to learn. You can write code once and run it on almost any computing platform. The programs developed on one machine can be executed on another machine as Java is platform-independent.
Java programming language is designed for building object-oriented applications, and it is a multithreaded language with automatic memory management. Java also facilitates distributed computing as it’s network-centric.
What are the technical benefits of Java?
Before you choose a programming language, you need to look at some technical benefits, and Java has some solid ones, like interoperability, scalability, and adaptability. Let us take a dive deeper into each.
Interoperability: this feature of Java remains the strongest argument for favouring Java for new enterprise applications as its object-oriented architecture allows you to create modular programs and reusable code, as it shortens development cycles.
Scalability: Java can use one single system across a broad range of use cases. This language also allows the migration of applications from mobile to desktop, thus developing business apps for the Android platform and further integrating them into the current desktop software.
Adaptability: Java is well known for adapting to new use cases. For example, we have seen that Java is the go-to platform for IoT because the typical IoT application interconnects a large number of disparate devices, a task that is simplified by the fact that countless devices run Java.
What are the business benefits of Java?
We have already seen why Java is being opted for by most modern-day developers; let us take a look at some business benefits of choosing Java over other programming languages.
Large talent pool: millions of companies use connected devices, machine learning algorithms, and cloud solutions. Hence, the demand for skilled developers continues to grow, and numerous analysts predict a scarcity of senior-level programmers in the future.
Short learning curve: Java is way easier to learn and master than many other programming languages, thus leading to a shorter learning curve and playing a huge factor in productivity.
Wide range of IDEs: we have already seen that Java offers a wide range of Integrated development tools. These IDEs allow development managers to choose the IDE that best fits the type of project, budget, development methodology, and programmer skill level.
Conclusion
As you have seen, Java is a really powerful programming language with numerous benefits and features, so it is the go-to option for many modern-day programmers.
You have now learned the applications of Java, its working, the reasons why Java is popular, the types of applications, various editions, and the technical and business benefits of using Java programming language.