dev:java

Programming Language

Java

Java (programminglanguage)
Full NameJava
Short NameJava
DescriptionDesigned to allow the creation of programs that can run on several different platforms.
CompanyOracle
WebYes
MobileYes
EnterpriseYes
EmbeddedNo

What is Java?

Java is a popular programming language and computing platform that was developed by Sun Microsystems and is now owned by Oracle. It is designed to be platform-independent and to run on a wide range of devices and operating systems.

What are some features of Java?

Java includes features such as automatic memory management, garbage collection, and a robust standard library. It also supports object-oriented programming, multithreading, and networking.

What platforms can Java be used on?

Java can be used on a wide range of platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile devices such as Android. It can also be used on embedded devices, such as those found in cars, appliances, and other consumer electronics.

What types of applications can be built with Java?

Java can be used to build a wide range of applications, including desktop applications, web applications, mobile apps, games, and more. It is particularly well-suited for building large-scale, enterprise-level applications.

Is Java difficult to learn?

Java is designed to be easy to learn for developers who are already familiar with programming concepts. However, like any programming language, it may take some time to become proficient in using Java effectively. There are many resources available to help developers learn Java, including online tutorials, books, and courses.

Is Java a popular language?

Yes, Java is a very popular language that is widely used in industry and academia. It is particularly popular in enterprise-level applications, where its reliability, scalability, and security are highly valued. The language has a large and active community of developers, which has contributed to its growth and success.

Snippet from Wikipedia: Java (programming language)

Java is a high-level, class-based, object-oriented programming language that is designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible. It is a general-purpose programming language intended to let programmers write once, run anywhere (WORA), meaning that compiled Java code can run on all platforms that support Java without the need to recompile. Java applications are typically compiled to bytecode that can run on any Java virtual machine (JVM) regardless of the underlying computer architecture. The syntax of Java is similar to C and C++, but has fewer low-level facilities than either of them. The Java runtime provides dynamic capabilities (such as reflection and runtime code modification) that are typically not available in traditional compiled languages.

Java gained popularity shortly after its release, and has been a very popular programming language since then. Java was the third most popular programming language in 2022 according to GitHub. Although still widely popular, there has been a gradual decline in use of Java in recent years with other languages using JVM gaining popularity.

Java was originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems. It was released in May 1995 as a core component of Sun's Java platform. The original and reference implementation Java compilers, virtual machines, and class libraries were originally released by Sun under proprietary licenses. As of May 2007, in compliance with the specifications of the Java Community Process, Sun had relicensed most of its Java technologies under the GPL-2.0-only license. Oracle offers its own HotSpot Java Virtual Machine, however the official reference implementation is the OpenJDK JVM which is free open-source software and used by most developers and is the default JVM for almost all Linux distributions.

As of September 2024, Java 23 is the latest version (Java 22, and 20 are no longer maintained). Java 8, 11, 17, and 21 are previous LTS versions still officially supported.

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GitHub Topics

Java was originally developed as an alternative to the C/C++ programming languages. It is now mainly used for building web, desktop, mobile, and embedded applications. Java is owned and licensed through Oracle, with free and open source implementations available from Oracle and other vendors.

Free Programming Books

Source: EbookFoundation

Hello World

class HelloWorld {
     public static void main(String[] args) {
          System.out.println("Hello, world!");
     }
}

Source: Wikibooks

Benefits of Java

BenefitDescription
Platform independenceJava code can run on any platform without any modifications, as long as a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is available for that platform. This makes Java a very portable language.
Object-oriented programmingJava is an object-oriented language, which means that it is designed to be modular, flexible, and scalable. This makes it well-suited for building complex, large-scale applications.
Automatic memory managementJava includes a garbage collector that automatically manages memory allocation and deallocation. This helps to prevent memory leaks and makes it easier to write stable and reliable code.
Large standard libraryJava includes a large and comprehensive standard library that provides a wide range of functionality, including networking, file I/O, and user interface development. This makes it easier to build complex applications without having to reinvent the wheel.
Robust securityJava has built-in security features that help to protect against a wide range of security threats, such as buffer overflows, injection attacks, and denial-of-service attacks.
Strong communityJava has a large and active community of developers who contribute to the development of the language, as well as to the creation of tools and libraries that make it easier to use. This community also provides support and resources for developers who are learning Java.
High performanceJava is designed to be fast and efficient, which makes it well-suited for building high-performance applications. It includes features such as just-in-time compilation and bytecode optimization that help to improve performance.
MultithreadingJava includes built-in support for multithreading, which allows for concurrent execution of code. This makes it easier to build scalable applications that can take advantage of multiple processors or cores.
Easy to learnJava has a simple and easy-to-learn syntax that is similar to other popular programming languages such as C++ and C#. This makes it a good choice for beginners who are just starting to learn programming.
Open-sourceJava is an open-source language, which means that the source code is freely available and can be modified and distributed by anyone. This has led to the development of many open-source tools and libraries that make it easier to use Java.
Backward compatibilityJava is designed to be backward compatible, which means that new versions of the language can run code that was written for older versions. This helps to ensure that Java applications will continue to run even as new versions of the language are released.
VersatileJava can be used to build a wide range of applications, from small command-line tools to large-scale enterprise applications. It is also used for developing Android mobile apps and can be used in web development with Java-based frameworks such as Spring and Struts.
  • Developer-friendly - Simple
  • Object-Oriented
  • Cross Platform
  • Garbage collector
  • Memory allocation
  • Multithreaded
  • Exception handling
  • Portability

TIOBE Index

External links:

## ToDo ##

  • Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
  • Classes
  • Inheritance
  • Polymorphism
  • Interfaces
  • Abstract classes
  • Encapsulation
  • Packages
  • Exceptions
  • Generics
  • Collections
  • Threads
  • Reflection
  • Annotations
  • Streams
  • JDBC (Java Database Connectivity)
  • JPA (Java Persistence API)
  • Spring Framework
  • JUnit (Java Unit Testing)
  • Maven (Java Build Tool)
  • Gradle (Java Build Tool)

See also: Programming Languages

  • dev/java.txt
  • Last modified: 2023/05/01 17:20
  • by Henrik Yllemo