Java is both a programming language and a huge ecosystem from Oracle Corporation.
It provides tools for projects of different complexity: from simple mobile applications to enterprise systems (large enterprise applications).
The history of Java began relatively recently, in 1995.
At that time, James Gosling developed the “Oak” language for programming embedded systems.
In creating it, he was guided by the syntax of then-popular C.
This is why Java is called a C-like language. After several revisions, “Oak” was renamed Java.
In 2010, Gosling’s company and the Java programming language were purchased by Oracle Corporation, which owns it to this day.
Popularity and demand for Java
Java has been in the top 3 most popular programming languages for several years in a row.
According to TIOBE, a well-known index of the popularity of programming languages, Java is ranked #3 as of May 2021.
Pros and cons of Java
There is no perfect programming language. Therefore, some of the nuances of the Java language can be both a plus and a minus at the same time.
Pros:
- Simple, clear syntax – its principles are easy for a beginner to understand;
- high demands on the code structure – this makes it easy to navigate;
- an extensive library, many frameworks – all the solutions have already been thought of for you;
- automatic garbage collector – it removes data left from objects that are no longer needed;
- high security – JVM controls code execution and blocks attempts to harm it, there is also a Security Manager where you can configure access levels;
- the same code can work on different devices – JVM interprets it for different platforms (for example, for both Windows and Linux);
- unlike many other languages, the principle of backward compatibility applies in Java – the code written 20 years ago will compile and work today;
- You can write complex systems in Java, and where complex tasks are, the salaries are high.
Cons:
- high code structuring requirements – unlike other languages, such as Python, where the syntax is much simpler;
- extensive library, many frameworks – to perform complex tasks, you need to know what frameworks there are, how to apply them, and what are the shortcomings;
- automatic garbage collector – it is not always possible to control what is already removed and what is not;
- for the JDK and the continued support of its components from Oracle must be paid for if you use it for business and commercial purposes (an alternative – Oracle Open JDK, free cut down version, is suitable to work with most projects).
Is it easy for a beginner to learn Java and how long does it take to learn it?
The language itself is easy to learn: it’s quite structured and logical. With support from an experienced tutor, you can learn Java from scratch in 6 months or less.
And if you’re already familiar with C/C++/C# (they’re very similar to Java), it’ll be even easier and faster.
As we said above, there are many frameworks for Java, and they will be the main difficulty for a beginner.
You have to understand how to use the frameworks, how they will affect the whole program, and whether there will be compatibility issues.
Even experienced Java programmers coming to a new project may have to re-search for appropriate frameworks and figure out how they work.
Conclusion
The Java programming language is quite common today.
Many major services are written in it, because it is relatively secure and well-structured, making it easy to change and maintain even very massive code.
Because of these advantages, Java will live on for many years to come, and more and more programmers will be needed, so you have every reason to find java training courses in India and start learning Java today!