Despite numerous programming languages appearing, Java has been maintaining its position among the leaders stretching back years. In 2020 was the 25th anniversary of Java and it is one of the top 3 programming languages around the globe.
Why is Java popular?
What makes Java one of the most attractive languages for implementing complex projects is its core - Java is an object-oriented programming language. It is a simple and robust technology, which doesn't need any external references. Its modular structure offers programmers the opportunity to produce reusable code and facilitates the working process.
Java includes such useful features like abstraction, inheritance, as well as built-in packages. Furthermore the Java API is a substantial part of the language. There are extensive classes and methods that can be used directly in code development.
Which Java core features make it so appealing?
1. Java is programmer-friendly
Its English-like syntax with minimum special characters makes it a convenient language for beginners. Those who have basic knowledge of C/C++ or C#, won’t have difficulty starting programming in Java, since it is highly influenced by these technologies. Thus, Java is beneficial and accessible for the majority of programmers who can use it to build suitable applications.
Elaborating on the advantage mentioned above, since the Java code can be reused, the testing and troubleshooting processes are simplified as well.
Programmers prefer Java for developing all such application types because it represents a comprehensive system of tools, libraries and packages that make it possible to build highly scalable solutions.
A developer may choose among numerous IDEs for Java programming that suits his purpose. The most commonly used IDEs for server-side development are IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, and NetBeans. Java programming is flexible, which makes it one of the top languages for everyone from developers to software management experts.
Why is Java popular among start-ups? Building trending software takes time and much effort, and the start-ups generally have neither of these. Moreover, it’s a “safe” and widely recognized technology these days. Java has become the standard programming language for most enterprise software development since the 2000s.
On the other hand, it does nicely for large teams of programmers executing huge projects. Accordingly, Java has a great deal more job opportunities than any other language in 2021. Fairly, Java developers are among the highest paid programmers in the industry.
2. Java is highly-demanded
Java is a wide-reaching universal programming language. It embraces mobile, desktop applications and large-scale enterprise servers, thanks to its agility and scalability.
Java programming is well suited for building applications on the Web, Mobile, Desktop GUI applications, Web and Applications Servers, Embedded Systems and Enterprise Applications, etc.
Since it is multi-platform compatible, the Java application can be run on any operating system, no matter on which one it was initially developed. Java offers the “WORA principle”, which allows developers to “write once, run anywhere”.
Recently, the Java ecosystem has rolled out respectively. Today Java has earned loyalty in the area of cloud computing, gaming, numerical computing, machine learning, data science and the Internet of Things (IoT).
3. Rich Java Ecosystem
The Java Application Programming Interface is worthy of being mentioned apart. The abundance of API is one the main reasons for Java success. More than 4500 APIs are available in Java Programming. An API includes thousands of classes and tens of thousands of methods to build Java programs.
Java offers API for any purpose whatsoever, including connecting to databases, networking, XML parsing, handling input and output processes.
The rich API, coupled with a large number of frameworks and open source libraries (e.g. Google Guava, Apache Commons, DBCP, JSON, Mockito, PowerMock, JUnit, Common Pool, Dom4j, JDom, Stax, JaxB, Xerces Apache POI, OpenCV, Gson, ETC), make the Java ecosystem suitable for almost any type of project.
4. Active Java Community
The last but not the least reason for Java’s popularity is its large and active community. The support of the developer community generally is a strong point of any technology, platform or programming language. It’s hard to believe, but it has gone down as a good language wouldn’t survive if there is no user base to share their opinions and knowledge.
Java community has a reputation of being the second largest at the Stack Overflow. It is a reliable platform to ask for help, and it can assist entry-level Java users to fit into a programmer's life.
The Java documentation rendered by Oracle is generally thought to be precise and continuously updated. Java offers numerous online resources for learning the language for both the beginners and for senior developers who aim to enhance their insight into specific Java problems.
Conclusion
This brilliant object-oriented language is much-in-demand for more than two decades. Java is a rich and robust programming language, backed by a strong universal community. It is used on the widest scale as a server-side language for all types of development projects, including fields gaining popularity.
Will Java stay popular next year? Certainly yes.
Will Java stay popular in the next 10 years? It depends.
We can't dismiss that the overall tendency (which may be noticed from the 2000s till 2021) of Java is slightly descending. But new programming languages come and go. Today Java is so widely-accepted that there is almost nothing to get in its way.