What is Java?- Learn From Subject Experts

Java is a computing platform and programming language first introduced by Sun Microsystems in 1995. Since then, it has grown significantly to power a substantial portion of the modern digital world, providing a reliable foundation for many services and applications. Different types of innovative products and digital services designed for the future continue to depend on Java.

While most modern Java applications bundle the Java runtime with the application itself, many applications and some websites still require desktop Java to function properly. Considering the significance of this programming language, its applications, and its benefits, we have created a series of blogs on Java. Read this article until the end, and we hope you will learn Java basics from this blog.

What is Java?

Java is a widely utilized object-oriented programming language for developing web applications. This network-centric language is fast and secure. Java has been popular for over two decades because it runs on diverse devices without glitches. It can be executed on millions of devices, including notebook computers, gaming consoles, mobile devices, medical devices, and many others.

Java is a reliable programming language that allows excellent coding for server-side technologies, enterprise software, and big-data applications. Its rules and syntax are based on the C++ and C languages.

How Does Java Work?

All programming languages are a means to communicate with machines. Machine hardware only responds to electronic communication. High-level programming languages like Java act as a bridge between human language and hardware language. To use Java, a developer needs to understand two things:

1. Java language and APIs

Java defines the semantics and syntax of its programming language. It comprises the fundamental vocabulary and rules for writing algorithms, such as primitive data types, if/else statements, loops, and more.

APIs are crucial software components included with the Java Platform. These APIs consist of pre-written Java programs, allowing you to easily integrate existing functionality into your code. For instance, you can use Java APIs to obtain the date and time, perform mathematical operations, or manipulate text.

Developers typically merge new code with pre-existing code from Java APIs and libraries when writing Java application code.

2. Java Virtual Machine

It is the back-end communication between the Java platform and the underlying hardware. Let’s look at the details below.

Compilers for the Java Virtual Machine (JVM): JVM is a platform-independent intermediate representation that translates Java source code into bytecode. It can then be installed and executed on any device, making Java a highly portable language. It optimizes bytecode execution, allowing Java applications to run smoothly across different environments.

Interpreters for JVM: JVM interpreters play a crucial role in efficiently interpreting and executing Java applications across various platforms. The dynamic translation enables Java programs to be executed without prior compilation, offering flexibility in development and deployment.

How to program in Java?

Installing a Java edition on your system is essential to begin programming in Java. There are three main editions available:

1. Java Standard Edition (Java SE): This platform is the foundation for developing Java applications. Its cross-platform compatibility allows developers to write code once and run it on any device or operating system that supports Java. It includes essential libraries, APIs, and tools for writing and running Java programs on desktops and servers.

2. Java Enterprise Edition (Java EE): is a set of specifications and APIs for developing enterprise-grade applications in Java, extending Java SE with additional libraries and frameworks tailored for large-scale distributed computing. It includes servlets, JavaServer Pages (JSP), Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB), and Java Persistence API (JPA) for building robust and scalable web applications. It emphasizes modularity, security, and portability across different application servers and cloud environments.

3. Java Micro Edition (Java ME): Java ME is a subset of the Java platform designed for embedded systems and mobile devices with limited resources. It provides a robust and flexible environment for applications running on consumer devices like mobile phones, PDAs, and TV set-top boxes. It includes an adaptable user interface, strong security, and built-in network protocols besides networked and offline applications support.

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Top 10 Key Features of Java

1. Platform Independent

The compiler transforms source code into bytecode, which is executed by the JVM (Java Virtual Machine). This bytecode is platform-neutral, allowing programs to be compiled on operating systems(OS) like Windows, Linux, or macOS. While each OS uses its own JVM, the output remains consistent across platforms after bytecode execution. This inherent platform independence enables Java adoption and application development across diverse computing environments.

2. Object-Oriented Programming Language

Organizing a program as a collection of objects is a fundamental principle of object-oriented programming, where each object defines an instance of a class. The four main concepts of object-oriented programming are:

Abstraction
Encapsulation
Inheritance
Polymorphism

3. Simple and easy to adapt

Java is known for its simplicity and ease of adoption. Simple syntax eases learning and code writing for developers. Java’s rich standard libraries and comprehensive documentation make it easier to develop robust applications efficiently. Java has no complex features like operator overloading, pointers, multiple inheritances, and explicit memory allocation. This accessibility, combined with Java’s extensive resources, eases many applications.

4. Robust

Java is a powerful language, meaning it is reliable and resilient. It is designed to catch errors early in development, allowing the Java compiler to detect issues that other programming languages might miss. Key features contributing to Java’s robustness include garbage collection, exception handling, and efficient memory allocation. These aspects help ensure that Java applications are stable and efficient.

5. Distributed

The Java programming language enables the creation of distributed applications that can run on multiple systems connected through a network. Remote Method Invocation (RMI) and Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) are utilized to develop these applications. Java programs can effortlessly be distributed across multiple systems connected via the Internet, ensuring they can seamlessly operate across diverse platforms and environments.

6. Multithreading

Java supports multithreading, allowing multiple threads to run concurrently within a program, which improves performance and resource utilization. The Java language provides built-in support for multithreaded programming through its Thread class, Java.lang. and the Java.util. concurrent package. This capability enables developers to build applications that can handle multiple tasks simultaneously. These could be anything, such as performing background operations while maintaining a responsive user interface and many more.

7. Portability

The portability of this programming language stems from its platform-independent bytecode. It allows compiled Java programs to run on any operating system with a compatible Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Java’s “Write once, run anywhere” philosophy ensures applications are easily transferable across different environments without modification. The extensive standard library and consistent runtime behavior further enhance Java’s portability, making it a popular choice for cross-platform development.

8. Dynamic flexibility

Java’s dynamic flexibility allows it to adapt to an evolving environment by supporting dynamic memory allocation and runtime type checking. This flexibility enables developers to write more modular and adaptable code, as classes and methods can be loaded dynamically at runtime. Java’s reflection API provides the ability to inspect and modify the behavior of applications during execution, further enhancing its dynamic capabilities.

9. Sandbox Execution

The Sandbox Execution in Java provides a secure environment for running untrusted code by restricting its access to system resources. It ensures that potentially harmful operations, such as file and network access, are limited according to predefined security policies. By isolating the code within the sandbox, Java minimizes the risk of security breaches and protects the host system from malicious activities.

10. Power of compilation and interpretation

Java’s unique combination of compilation and interpretation provides a robust development and execution environment. The Java compiler converts source code into platform-independent bytecode. It can be executed by the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) on any operating system. This dual approach ensures high performance during execution while maintaining cross-platform compatibility, making Java both powerful and versatile.

Where is the Java programming language used for?

Java is a free and versatile language mainly used to build localized and distributed software. Programmers use it extensively to build enterprise-scale applications for its stability and scalability. This programming language is also used in web development, mobile apps, and large systems. Some common uses of Java are as follows:

Game Development

Programmers use Java in game development due to its robust libraries and frameworks, such as jMonkeyEngine and LWJGL (Lightweight Java Game Library). These libraries provide extensive tools for creating both 2D and 3D games. Java’s platform independence ensures that games can run on diverse operating systems without modification. Its strong object-oriented principles help developers manage complex game logic and design patterns effectively.

Cloud computing

Java has become quite popular with its scalability, portability, an extensive ecosystem of libraries, and frameworks like Spring and Apache Hadoop. It enables developers to create and deploy powerful cloud applications that can run on different cloud platforms, including Google Cloud, AWS, and Azure. Java’s strong performance optimization and security features make it an ideal choice to build and manage large-scale cloud services and infrastructure.

Big Data

Java has proven to be a good option for Big Data applications due to its robustness and scalability. This programming language is compatible with popular Big Data frameworks like Apache Hadoop and Apache Spark. Its strong performance and efficient memory management enable it to handle large numbers of real-time datasets and perform complex data processing. Java’s extensive ecosystem of libraries and tools helps developers build, manage, and analyze Big Data solutions effectively.

Artificial Intelligence

Java is a prominent language for developing AI applications because of its excellent stability, speed, and extensive libraries, such as Deeplearning4j and Weka. Its speed and stability enable it to develop natural language processing and deep learning. With powerful libraries and efficient memory management, this programming language can develop complex AI models and algorithms. Besides, Java’s platform independence allows AI applications to run seamlessly across various operating systems and environments.

Internet of Things

Java plays a crucial role in the Internet of Things (IoT) due to its portability, reliability, and extensive ecosystem. It supports IoT development with libraries and frameworks like Eclipse IoT, enabling seamless device integration and communication. Java’s platform independence ensures IoT applications run consistently across various devices and operating systems, enhancing interoperability and scalability.

Why Has Java Gained Popularity Among Software Developers?

Java is popular because it has been designed for ease of use. Some reasons developers continue to choose Java over other programming languages include:

Best learning resources

Developers have been working on Java for a long time, considering this language’s numerous learning resources for new programmers. Detailed documentation, comprehensive books, and courses provide support throughout the learning curve. Beginners can start with Core Java before advancing to more complex topics in Advanced Java.

Inbuilt functions and libraries

The Java Standard Library includes a vast collection of packages, such as Java.lang, Java.util, and java.io, offering essential utilities and functionalities. These libraries cover purposes like data structures, input/output operations, networking, and concurrent programming. Leveraging these inbuilt functions and libraries enhances productivity and helps developers avoid reinventing the wheel.

Active community support

Java has a huge number of active users and a community that provides extensive support to programmers. Forums like Stack Overflow and Reddit offer platforms for developers to ask questions, share knowledge, and troubleshoot issues. These communities regularly contribute to open-source projects, creating a wealth of free resources, libraries, and frameworks. It helps Java programmers overcome challenges and stay updated with the latest advancements.

Highly-advanced development tools

Java offers highly advanced development tools that streamline the coding process. Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) like Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA, and NetBeans help in code completion, debugging, and refactoring tools, enhancing developer productivity. These IDEs also support seamless integration with various version control systems and build automation tools, facilitating efficient project management. Extensive plugins and extensions allow developers to customize their workspace and leverage additional functionalities.

Platform Independent

One of Java’s most significant advantages is its platform independence. It allows Java code to run on any device with a compatible JVM, regardless of the underlying operating system. It enables developers to create applications that can be executed seamlessly across different platforms without modification. This capability significantly reduces development time and effort, as the same codebase can be used for various environments, from desktop to mobile applications.

Security

Java is known for its robust security features. These are integral to its design. The language enforces strong type-checking and automatic memory management. This facility reduces vulnerabilities common in other programming languages. It also has a security manager that defines access control policies for each application, limiting what code can do based on its origin. Java platform supports cryptography, secure communication protocols, and comprehensive APIs to help developers implement secure applications.

What is Java?