Java is a powerful general-purpose programming language. It is one of the most popular programming languages used to develop desktop and mobile applications, big data processing, embedded systems and so on.
To get started with Java programming, visit Java Tutorials.
Features of Java Programming
Java is platform-independent
Java was built with the philosophy of "write once, run anywhere" (WORA). The Java code you write on one platform (operating system) will run on other platforms with no modification.
An object-oriented Language
The object-oriented approach is one of the popular programming styles. In object-oriented programming, a complex problem is divided into smaller sets by creating objects. This makes Java code reusable, has design benefits and makes code easier to maintain.
Java is fast
The earlier version of Java was criticized for being slow. However, the new version of Java is one of the fastest programming languages.
A well-optimized Java code is nearly as fast as lower-level languages like C/C++ and much faster than Python, PHP, etc.
Java is secure
Some of the high-level features for security that Java handles are:
- provides a secure platform for developing and running applications
- automatic memory management reduces memory corruption and vulnerabilities
Large Standard Library
One of the reasons why Java is widely used is because of the availability of a huge standard library. The Java environment has hundreds of classes and methods under different packages to help software developers like us. For example,
java.lang- for advanced features of strings, arrays, etcjava.util- for data structures, regular expressions, date and time functions, etcjava.io- for file i/o, exception handling, etc
Applications of Java Programming
According to Oracle, the company that owns Java, Java runs on 3 billion devices worldwide, which makes Java one of the most popular programming languages.
1. Android apps
Java programming language using Android SDK (Software Development Kit) is usually used for developing Android apps.
2. Web apps
Java is used to create Web applications through Servlets, Struts or JSPs. Some of the popular web applications written in Java are Google.com, Facebook.com, eBay.com, LinkedIn.com, etc.
3. Big Data Processing
You can use a popular software framework like Hadoop (which is written in Java) to process Big Data.
4. Embedded Devices
Oracle's Java Embedded technologies provide a platform and runtime for billions of embedded devices like televisions, SIM cards, Blu-ray Disc players, etc.
Besides these applications, Java is also used for game development, scientific applications (like natural language processing), and many others.
How you can learn to code in Java?
Learn Java from codemy
codemy offers a complete series of easy to follow Java tutorials along with suitable examples. These tutorials are targeted at absolute beginners with no prior knowledge of the Java programming language.
Learn from Official Java Documentation
Oracle, the company that owns Java, provides quality Java documentation. The official documentation is continuously updated. However, it may not be the easiest of tutorials to follow for beginners.
Java Programming Best Practices
You must be eager to learn Java by now. However, here are some tips and best practices to follow before you learn Java.
- Don't read Java tutorials and examples like a novel: The only way to get better in programming is by writing a lot of code.
- Learn Java language the right way: If you are switching from another programming language (let's say C#), don't write C# style code in Java. Also, check this article on How to write good Java code?
- Join Java communities: Once you get the hang of writing simple Java programs, join Java communities and forums. Then, try to solve other programmers' Java problems. It's a good way to expand your Java knowledge. Also, you can get help when you are stuck.
Final Words
You cannot go wrong with learning Java. Its wide range of applications makes it the language of opportunities and possibilities.