What is Java?

Introduction to Java

Java is both a programming language and a platform. It allows developers to write programs once and run them anywhere (WORA). Java applications are compiled into bytecode, which can run on any system with the Java Virtual Machine (JVM).

Being object-oriented, Java encourages modular programming and code reusability. Its strong security features make it ideal for networked and enterprise applications.

History of Java

Java was developed by James Gosling and his team at Sun Microsystems in 1995. Today, it is maintained by Oracle Corporation. Java has become widely used for desktop, mobile, enterprise, and web applications due to its portability and reliability.

Key Features of Java

Platform Independent: Java code is compiled into bytecode, which can run on any system with JVM, following the principle of “Write Once, Run Anywhere”.

Object-Oriented: Java supports inheritance, polymorphism, abstraction, and encapsulation, making code organized and reusable.

Simple and Robust: Java syntax is easy to understand, especially for programmers with C/C++ background. It provides strong memory management and exception handling for reliable applications.

Secure: Java prevents direct memory access and offers a secure runtime environment, ideal for network-based applications.

Multithreaded and Portable: Java allows concurrent execution of tasks, and bytecode ensures portability across platforms.

Distributed: Java has built-in networking capabilities, which make it suitable for distributed computing applications.

Example Program

class HelloWorld {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("Hello, Java!");
    }
}
  

Java Limitations

Java has some limitations, such as being slower than native C/C++ programs due to JVM overhead, high memory consumption for large applications, and limited low-level programming capabilities.