Java in 2021: it will not fully die
The beginning of 2021 is an opportunity for everyone to wrap up old tasks and look to the future. For workers in the computer industry, known for constantly changing skill requirements, this may be an opportune time to decide to start studying a new programming language. In this article, we will try to take a look at some of the reasons explaining why Java remains a good match for the year 2021.
Many times Java has experienced a loss of popularity in the programming field, primarily because of how notoriously difficult it is to learn. Yet when it comes to statistics, this language remains one of the most widely used each year.
In 2020, there were almost 8 million JAVA developers across the world. In the RedMonk report, it ranks 3rd just after JavaScript and Python.
Its major advantage is its famous “Write Once, Run Anywhere” principle which allows Java code to be executed on other platforms without recompiling. It is also widely used with the Android operating system, web, mobile, and desktop applications, and in science programs.
To learn more about Java’s relevancy, read more about microservices in Java.
Benefits of using Java in 2021
Now, let’s take a look at why this language is still relevant for many programmers in 2021.
Java can do it all
With Java, you can create desktop applications using the Swing API or JavaFX. JavaFX is a more modern solution for the development of graphical user interfaces. Since Java 11, JavaFX, has been developed by the OpenJFX community, you can be sure it will do a great job. The Jakarta EE specification, formerly Java EE, allows the development of complete web applications (Internet or Intranet). This specification provides a complete stack that allows developers to design the architecture of their applications in the best possible way. All this explains why Jakarta EE is so popular in companies.
A lot of resources for Java learning
Learning to program is never easy. If this is the case for you, you will need a strong will to do it. However, as you learn, you will realise that all your efforts are well worth it. Because it’s very popular, there are many free resources available for training.
There are many tutorials available but also a lot of forums where you can ask questions when you get stuck in your learning. Secondly, from a technical point of view, Java is ideal because it is an imperative but also an object-oriented language. These two paradigms are the most common in companies but also the easiest for beginners to master. Finally, if you are an experienced developer of other object-oriented languages, you will quickly become comfortable with Java, which offers a rich and intuitive API with very high quality documentation.
Java is widely used in business
In the world of computer programming, several methodologies are used to measure the popularity of a programming language. Among these, the TIOBE index is frequently used as a benchmark.
The TIOBE index still ranks Java as the most popular language. Java is very popular in companies where it is largely dominant, but also in universities where it is de facto very often taught to students. Finally, newbie developers tend to get more and more interested as they get into developing Android apps in their spare time.
The fact that Java is so ubiquitous makes it a great choice because once you master it, you will be able to apply for many Java developer positions in companies or try to get freelance Java development assignments. Investing time in learning Java is therefore a guarantee that you will benefit from it in your career as a developer.
Java has a strong community
The Java community is one of the most important in the world of computer programming. This makes perfect sense since Java is an ultra-popular, open-source language. The strong Java community is a great asset since you can always find a pre-written library that meets your needs.
This abundance of open source projects written in Java will give you a wide choice of code libraries when you encounter problems. As explained earlier, this strong community is also an important asset when you encounter problems developing programs in Java. Indeed, someone will probably have already encountered your problem and you will save precious time by consulting the solution they used.
We hope that this article has given you some insight on Java’s remaining relevancy. Follow us for more IT information!