Java is considered a flexible programming language, but at the same time, it appears incredibly object-oriented, imperative, and robust. That allows Java to remain among the most popular and widely used within the developer community. Besides, the Java programming language can be applied for multiple purposes, which means that it continues to keep strong. Below, we will analyze its critical pros and cons and try to answer the question: what can you do with Java?

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What is Java?

Java serves as a general-purpose programming language famous for being class-based and object-oriented. This popular programming language has the following structure: Java developers gain an opportunity to write code and run code anywhere. But they do not worry about the basic computer architecture.

Java programming language also corresponds to “write once, run anywhere” (WORA). Thus, a Java programmer can run the relevant code compiled once on each platform that deals with the Java runtime environment with no need to recompile.

In addition, Java was developed and released by Sun Microsystems (later, the company was acquired by Oracle). It was similar to C++ and also shared a lot of syntaxes with a particular programming language. Now, Java is regularly updated to respond to the increasing needs of modern developers.

Advantages of the Java programming language

No doubt, Java has improved significantly over the years. That is because Oracle ensures its appropriate maintenance and provides regular updates. The huge community of Java developers is also considered a critical advantage, especially for new engineers who can ask for help if needed. After all, Java offers an outstanding collection of various open-source libraries and functions.

Below, we will discuss several major benefits of Java.

  • Simplicity and ease to learn. Although Java shares syntax with programming languages like C and C++, you cannot find many critical elements existing in C++ in Java. These elements include explicit pointers, operator overloading, or storage classes. So, Java programming is regarded as less complex when it comes to writing code.
  • Object-oriented. Java treats everything as an object. At the same time, it provides accompanying features, including class, encapsulation, abstraction, etc.
  • Java supports multithreading. You can convert large applications to different threads and execute them simultaneously. That helps reduce the resources and time necessary for executing Java programs.
  • Platform agnostic. As Java runs within its specific Java virtual machine sandbox, you should consider the relevant platform, along with its computer architecture, when writing Java code. Fortunately, you can execute the same code using various platforms with no need to recompile for all devices. That makes the project management process easier.

Disadvantages of using Java

Of course, there are multiple benefits of using Java. On the other hand, you should also know about some critical disadvantages. So, let’s consider them below.

  • You must run applications on Java Runtime Environment (JRE). With Java sandbox, applications become platform-agnostic (they are often referred to as “cross-platform” ones). But at the same time, it means that you can run these apps only on top of JRE. Such an approach needs more resources – for example, memory consumption is much higher.
  • Java-based UI is less attractive. Java offers many frameworks that allow for creating UIs for applications. However, they are not robust enough to provide complex UI elements compared to other programming languages like JavaScript.
  • The absence of a backup facility. Unfortunately, Java offers no backup facility; it works from relevant storage.
  • Automatic garbage collectors. Although you can regard it as a benefit, it provides no appropriate facility for developers to control garbage collection. That may cause a significant problem when coding advanced functions in Java.

What is Java used for?

The question that bothers many software developers is the following: what can you do with Java programming? Apart from developing big data technologies and creating the IoT (Internet of Things) solutions, Java helps build various types of applications. Below, we have described the top-11 use cases of the Java language.

Mobile applications

Java serves as the official programming language of modern mobile app development. This language appears compatible with software solutions like Android Studio or Kotlin. Thanks to Java, programmers can build complete mobile applications that perform on smartphones or tablet devices.

Web applications

Apart from mobile apps, Java is widely used to build web applications. Also, it provides efficient support for such apps using Servlets, Struts, and JSPs. Thanks to the particular technologies, developers can create different kinds of web apps they need.

Cloud applications

Cloud apps are the ones that deal with information processed on a relevant cloud server. Today, there are different types of web services using cloud computing technologies. And Java is among the best programming languages to create cloud-based applications. That is because it provides high-quality performance and scalability.

Chatbots

Many organizations use AI (artificial intelligence) technology to build efficient chatbots. Meanwhile, many of these chatbots are also written in Java. They help address emerging customer questions and problems and provide the necessary information. That makes chatbots an incredibly useful customer service tool.

Games

What can you create with Java, in addition to the mentioned solutions? Right, games. Java programming is a perfect option for game development, especially for Android apps. Since Java ensures high performance, it makes such applications run efficiently on relevant operating systems.

Healthcare applications

Among the most prominent things you can do with Java is build healthcare applications. For instance, Java development services allow your organization to create electronic health records programs that can check patients’ insurance status. Also, healthcare mobile applications can help users create, transfer, and store the necessary medical data.

Logistics applications

When answering the question “what can you do with Java,” it is worth mentioning the logistics apps. With logistics desktop applications or relevant mobile versions, customers can check the logistics process after booking their orders and track the delivery. Besides, applying Java helps provide some critical features like billing or client database.

Enterprise applications

Java is often the most suitable option for building enterprise applications. It offers a specific platform called Java Enterprise Edition (JavaEE), providing an API and runtime environment necessary for scripting. For instance, JavaEE serves as the basis for various banking applications.

Scientific applications

Many software engineers regard Java as the best option to code different mathematical operations and scientific calculations. These scientific applications are always incredibly secure and fast. They provide a higher level of portability and ensure low maintenance. Also, lots of scientific applications use Java to create an interactive UI.

Backend processing

So what is Java used for, apart from different applications? Numerous organizations apply it for backend processing, especially in batch processing jobs during off-peak hours. That helps reduce users’ influence during times of regular working hours.

Embedded systems

Using the Java programming language is also an efficient approach to building embedded systems. They serve as special-purpose computer systems developed to carry out one or several limited tasks. Such systems are known for their minimal size, power consumption, and price.

Reasons why Java is so popular to developers

There can be different reasons why Java is a widely-used programming language among engineers. The key ones are versatility, robust features, and a large developer community.

To begin with, what can Java be used for? For instance, developers can use Java to build server-side web applications, cloud-based applications, enterprise applications, Android apps, or other critical business applications for mobile phones.

Secondly, Java is famous for its ease to use. Java programming has a simple syntax, while the available standard library helps developers learn how to create Java applications smoothly. Besides, Java offers advanced features that ensure efficient complex app development. They cover garbage collection, threading, in-memory caching, etc.

Finally, the existing community of Java engineers can always help you. Also, you can find various online resources available necessary to learn Java programming. Thus, the new Java developers find it easy to start with such a popular programming language compared to other ones.

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Best practices to follow while using Java

Below, there are several common best practices you should implement when using Java.

  • Coding within a safe environment.
  • Planning object requirements properly before writing code.
  • Following naming conventions (that helps other Java programmers read easily in your project).
  • Avoiding the risk of possible memory leaks.
  • Avoiding empty catch blocks.
  • Eliminating the use of loops with indexes.
  • Reserving sufficient memory (that is because Java serves as a memory hog).
  • Using JSON for encoding with Java (also, you should know schema before decoding).
  • Re-scaling images for using fewer resources (here, buffering original images and applying re-scaled ones is the best option).

Conclusion

Java programming language will remain among the most popular ones. Each Java developer finds it easy to learn and platform-agnostic. Also, they can use it for multiple different devices. Fortunately, Oracle provides this programming language with excellent support, while the growing number of Java engineers demonstrates that it is quite appealing for learning Java and coding.