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What is it about Java? Why do we still use it?

Chris Kellum
2 min readJun 3, 2021

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Why do we still use Java? Data Driven applications and statistics can be done in Python, Web, Mobile, and PC applications can be built in JavaScript, most languages can interact with the majority of Data Base Structures. With the variety of more popular and more in demand languages how has java not gone the way of COBOL and LISP?

  1. ) JIT Compilation: Java is not completely compiled like C\C++ nor is it interpreted like Python. It is partially compiled converting your .java files in to .class files, which are instructions for the JVM (Java Virtual Machine). Then the .class is completely compiled at run time in the JVM. This is called Just In Time Compilation, this is really important for Java’s system portability.
  2. ) JVM: The Java Virtual Machine is an amazing improvement on how code is ran in a specific environment. In the last point I talked about JIT Compilation, Which sounds like an extra an extra step to get to the same result that normal compilation, which it is for the user that only builds applications for their own system. For the normal enterprise use case it allows for any machine that has a JVM, no matter the systems environment. Which is a great advantage in deploying applications across an entire company’s ecosystem.
  3. ) OOP: It is probably the best example of an Object Oriented Programming Language, because it treats almost everything as an Object. This is a big reason it Got popular really quickly. OOP then is like Functional Programming now, It was a new and better way to program. making it popular with the same crowd that loves Haskell now.
  4. ) It was Open Source: The popularity amongst developers in the early days of java it was owned by Sun which kept java open source until Sun was acquired by Oracle. Then slowly Oracle has been making it less and less so.
  5. ) Relatively Recent Legacy: Java was the and still is the most widely used programming language and has been since shortly after its release in the Mid-Nineties. On top of the OPP, and open source and the JVM, Java Hit the market at the right time. During the Internet Boom Every Company Suddenly integrated themselves with technology. Sun had an open source, Object Oriented Programming language that had native support for SQL database connectivity. It boomed to the front of Business Tech stacks everywhere. It is shifting away java the winds of change are just blowing softly, and eventually the mountain will be dust only for another to rise.

The frustrations of uni students reading about how awesome python is, but being beaten down by Sysouts is probably long from over, but soon it might be.

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Chris Kellum

I am a newly released Software Engineer, Experienced in mobile and web development. When not at a computer, I am probably enjoying playing one of my Ukuleles.