With the availability of tons of programming languages, developers often get confused about which programming language to choose for a software development project. Several parameters help developers choose the language, such as frameworks, resources, language support on different platforms, security, performance issues, etc.

Java is an object-oriented language, and it meets all the parameters mentioned above. Compared to C and C++, Java is an easy-to-learn language and solves the code queries with the least complexity.

Java is one of the most preferred languages by developers because it is platform-independent. Programs can run on any computer, as long as the computer has a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) installed. Most operating systems are compatible with a JRE, including windows, Macintosh, Linux, etc.

Is Java used in backend or frontend? Java is made to offer versatility – which allows developers to write code that would run on any machine, regardless of structure or platform. Java is everywhere – as more than 1 billion computers and 3 billion mobile devices worldwide run Java.

Here are some areas where Java is used:

Mobile App Development

Java is considered an ideal language for mobile application development as the frameworks and libraries it offers can do wonders to any application.

More than 90% of mobile applications are built using Java. The most famous Android app development IDE Android Studio also uses Java for creating android apps. There are many competitors of Java in the market, but Java remains the most reliable programming language for mobile app development.

Some popular mobile applications such as Spotify and Twitter are built using Java.

Web-Based Applications

Java provides ample support for web development through Servlet, JSP, and Struts. That’s the reason why Java is known as a server-side programming language. With these technologies, you can create a variety of web applications. Some popular websites, such as LinkedIn, AliExpress, IRCTC, etc., are built using Java.

Game Development

As Java is ideal for mobile app development, Android games are no exception. Java is also used for game development because it has the support of an open-source 3D engine. The engine provides exceptional capacity when it comes to the context of the designing of 3D games.

Some popular games designed using Java are Minecraft, Asphalt 3: Air Rules, Avalon, Mission Impossible 3, etc.

Big Data Technology

You might have heard about ‘Hadoop’ technology, which stores big data applications. Surprisingly, it is also developed using the Java programming language. In big data applications, Java is used in ETL applications such as Apache Camel and Apache Kafka. It is used to retrieve and transform data and load it in big data platforms.

Cloud-Based Applications

Cloud-based development is essential for organizations, and its demand will continue to grow. Java provides the environment to create cloud-based applications. You can leverage the power of Java to develop SaaS (Software as a Service), LaaS (Logging as a Service), and PaaS (Platform as a Service). The cloud application is widely used to share data between companies or to develop applications remotely.

IoT Applications

IoT refers to the Internet of Things – which connects the devices in its network and communicates with them. IoT is found in devices such as smartphones, TVs, health gears, etc.

Apart from other programming languages, Java offers several unique benefits to developers. Developers also prefer Java over any other language due to its versatility, security, and adaptability.

Backend development is known as server-side development, which refers to the technical aspects of an application. For example, filling a form, making a purchase, etc., the behind-the-scenes of such activities refer to server-side development.

A backend developer works with the following:

• Databases and cache
• Server
• API (REST & SOAP)
• Web development languages such as Java, PHP, etc.

Java is an excellent language for backend development trusted by many big tech companies such as LinkedIn, Netflix, Twitter, etc. It is a distinct language that is known to most backend developers worldwide.

There was a time when Java was the best alternative to other desktop languages, and the full JVM running on both clients and server-side seemed like a good thing, an alternative to Visual Basic, Visual C++, etc.

When the browser matured and became a clear difference between backend and frontend programming models, Java shifted towards server-side work.

Today, Java is rarely used in frontend development. Java is not JavaScript – these are two different programming languages.

Java is perfect for writing whole apps with complicated logic, large or complex data sets, and desktop-style interfaces.

You might have read tons of articles on the internet saying, “Java is dead.” All this false information is presented as “Java developers are no longer in demand.” Java is indeed an old programming language, but it doesn’t mean it’s dead.

As per the data by JetBrains, Java was the most popular programming language of 2020. The benefits Java offers to developers are immeasurable. That’s why Java is used by world-famous tech companies like Google, Netflix, Facebook, Amazon, Oracle, and IBM. Even the most prominent cloud-based application ‘Hadoop’ is written in Java.

That said, Java is here to stay, and it is expected that the demand for Java developers will increase in the coming years.

Being an old programming language, Java remains to be the most preferred programming language by developers. It can be used for internet applications development no matter the size is.

Java focuses on robust development in security and performance that makes it stand out from its rivals. Companies looking to develop robust web applications and provide an exceptional user experience must invest in Java by hiring Java developers. This will generate higher returns on investment.