More and more business owners and even people who aren’t business owners but are interested in learning about technology are learning about coding and programming. Coding and programming knowledge can allow you to advance your career or start a new career. There are different programming languages, and each has its own runtime environment as well or a customized runtime environment.
One of the commonly-used programming languages is Java, and the following are some things to know.
The Basics of Java
Java was initially developed in the 1990s, and it’s a programming language that can be used across multiple platforms. It runs on most operating systems. This includes Mac, Linux, and Windows. A lot of the syntax used in Java comes from the C and C++ languages. The objective when Java was initially created was to improve upon the C++ language and offer something more user-friendly and portable, and that would introduce automatic memory management, which is discussed in more detail below.
Java is considered a high-level language because humans can write it and understand it fairly easily. When a program is written, the instructions can then be made into number codes that computers understand and implement.
The original reason for Java’s design was to be used on digital mobile devices. However, when it reached the public in 1996, it started to be used more on the internet, and it was used a lot to create dynamic web pages.
Along with being a language, Java is also an ecosystem. The Java tool ecosystem includes the Java Development Kit, which is a Notebook app used to compile Java code. There’s also the Java Runtime Environment or JRE. JRE is a software tool for distribution that has the stand-alone Java Virtual Machine, the Java Class Library and a tool for configuration. There’s also the Integrated Development Environment or IDE. These are a set of tools that let you compile your code but also run and edit it.
Java is the main language used in Android development and frequently used for big data and government websites.
What Are the Benefits of Java?
There are certain things about Java that make it compelling and useful.
First, it’s relatively easy to use. Java takes a lot of the elements of C++, a powerful programming language, and makes them easier to use.
Java is described as an objective-oriented programming language, and it tends to lower the risk of mistakes in programming and errors. For the most part, Java is considered one of the most secure programming languages as well, although that’s not always the case.
When Java is used, the code is made into something called bytecode. Bytecode is portable and can work across platforms regardless of the devices, operating system, or hardware.
Java is also one of the most used enterprise-level programming languages, and that is one of the reasons that it’s likely to have staying power even in the face of possible drawbacks.
Garbage Collector
Java uses something called an automatic garbage collector as a way to manage memory. The programmer decides on the time objects are created. The Java runtime then has to recover the memory when the objects aren’t being used anymore. When there are no longer any references to a particular object, the memory can be freed automatically by the garbage collector.
What Are the Problems with Java?
Any programming language is going to have potential downsides. One is challenges in terms of security. While Java is viewed as one of the most secure programming languages, Java in browsers has hit major roadblocks. For example, in 2013, Java vulnerabilities led to major attacks against big companies like Facebook, Apple, and Twitter. Oracle has put a lot toward making sure they issue updated patches, but still, sometimes it can be difficult to shake that reputation.
There’s also a growing amount of competition, and while that’s not necessarily indicative of a problem with Java, it does mean more competition. For example, languages like JavaScript, Python, and PHP are all increasingly popular. Additionally, since Java isn’t allowed on iPads or iPhones, it’s shown that there is no problem with companies banning its use and that’s not great for its reputation. The idea from Apple is that Java doesn’t offer a good mobile experience, and with the pervasiveness of mobile, again that’s not a good reputation to have. Even so, a big chunk of the world’s smartphones are Android, so that still makes Java a key player in the mobile phone market, regardless of what Apple say
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