Java - What makes this language so popular among programmers?

October 1, 2024

Java programming language is currently one of the most widely used in the world. Whether for the development of large enterprise applications or small academic or professional projects, it has remained relevant by incorporating new features over the years.

The history and evolution of Java

The history of Java begins in 1991, when Sun Microsystems company (now part of Oracle) gathered a team of engineers to create something revolutionary: they believed that in a short time, all electronic devices would be connected to computers and could be remotely controlled, interacting with each other. This team, called the "Green Team", included Patrick Naughton, Sun Fellow, and James Gosling, the latter being considered the father of Java.

While developing the project, the team encountered a major limitation: different operating systems. Each one worked differently, and the technologies of the time didn’t allow interoperability between them. As a solution, they created their own operating system, called GreenOS.

With the rise of the World Wide Web, Sun Microsystems shifted the platform’s focus to the internet, thus launching the Java environment. It was at this moment that Java began to gain popularity, as it allowed applications to be run directly in web browsers, offering greater interactivity with the user. Additionally, due to its platform independence principle, which allows Java applications to run on any operating system or hardware, Java was quickly adopted by large companies like IBM.

Over the years, Java has seen significant growth among developers, introducing new features and improving its components. Recently, Oracle has adopted a new version release model: every six months, a new version is released with complete features or previews of new characteristics, allowing the developers community to participate in the continuous improvement process.

Fundamental principles of Java language

Java is based on four fundamental principles: portability (cross-platform development), object-oriented programming support, security, and performance efficiency.

The “Write once, run anywhere” philosophy

This language was born out of the need to connect different devices, hence its philosophy of "Write once, run anywhere." To bring this concept to life, the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) was created, tesponsible for converting Java code into instructions that any device with a JVM can interpret, regardless of the platform on which it is being executed.

Object-Oriented Programming

Java is an object-oriented language, a development paradigm that abstracts the real world into two main entities: classes and objects.

A class defines the characteristics (attributes) and behaviors (methods) of an object, acting as a model. Objects are the manipulable instances of classes.

Object-oriented programming is based on four main pillars:

• - Encapsulation: Exposes only what is necessary, hiding implementation details.
• - Inheritance: Allows derived classes to inherit characteristics and behaviors from a parent class.
• - Interface: Defines a contract of common behaviors that other classes can implement.
• - Polymorphism: Allows different objects to perform the same behavior in different ways.

Security in Java

Security is a major concern and priority within the Java ecosystem. The JVM is an example of this, as it runs applications in isolation from the operating system, preventing malicious actions that could corrupt execution. On the other hand, the JVM effectively manages memory, preventing unauthorized access.

Java also offers robust access control mechanisms and support for various types of encryption. Its compatibility with the most secure standards for communication between web applications and servers, along with regular updates to fix vulnerabilities, makes Java a reliable choice in terms of security.

Performance and efficiency

Over time, Java's efficiency has been a constant priority. With the emergence of new technologies, optimizations have been introduced, such as the Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler, which transforms the most used parts of the application directly at runtime, improving performance. The JVM has also received several updates, and many libraries have been modernized ont he latest concepts.

Java ecosystem and developers community

Java has a vast ecosystem of tools, libraries, and frameworks, such as Maven, Gradle, Spring, Hibernate, and Quarkus, as well as application servers like Weblogic, Glassfish, and Apache Tomcat.

Most of these tools are free, maintained by foundations such as the Apache Foundation and the Eclipse Foundation, or provided by companies like Oracle (which supports Weblogic) and JetBrains (which supports IntelliJ, though a free version is also available).

One of Java's strengths is its global developer base, made up of millions of programmers, engineers, and software architects. This community plays a crucial role in the evolution of the language and the promotion of best practices. Companies such as Oracle, RedHat, and IBM contribute significantly to the language's ongoing development.

Java for enterprise applications

Many companies choose Java for their corporate systems due to its robustness, security, and scalability. Compatibility between old and new versions ensures applications to remain functional and efficient. Java also supports the microservices paradigm, which is widely used in modern distributed architectures.

Additionally, Long Term Support (LTS) versions guarantee greater stability and reliability for companies that need solid production environments. The Java ecosystem, filled with robust tools and frameworks, ensures a highly stable production environment with high availability.

Java has remained up-to-date and integrated with new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and cloud computing, allowing old systems to evolve or be replaced without losing security and efficiency.

The future of Java

Technological evolution continues at a rapid pace, and Java developer community has remained at the forefront of this evolution. Currently, innovations are focused on expanding the language in cloud environments, performance optimizations, integration with emerging areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and IoT (Internet of Things) and adapting to new programming paradigms, such as reactive programming and functional programming.

With almost three decades of history, Java has proven to be a versatile, mature, and extremely reliable language. As new technologies emerge, Java will continue to play a crucial role in the digital transformation of businesses, ensuring its relevance for years to come.