What Is Java?
Are you interested in learning about computers and have you ever wondered what is Java? Java is a programming language that was created by James Gosling. The language has become integral in programming, and thus has an important place in computer science studies. For example, an individual uses Java to write computer games. Yet, what is it exactly? What is Java?
In 1991, James Gosling began the Java language project. He began it to use for one of his set-top-boxes. Originally, he named the language “Oak.” It was named after an oak tree that stood outside of his office. However, he eventually changed the name to Java, picking it from a random list of words.
He wanted to create a virtual machine and a virtual language, and he aimed to use the C and C++ notation in the language. In 1995, Sun Microsystems released the first public implementation of the language. Sun Microsystems released the language under the slogan, “Write Once, Run Anywhere.”
When it was launched in 1995, it was secure and allowed network and access to files restrictions. The language developed, and soon websites were able to use the Java applications within their web pages. Java was then improved, and released as Java 2 in 1998. This new version was improved because it had multiple configurations for different types of platforms.
Goals of Java
When the Java language was created, there were five goals that Gosling hoped to achieve.
- He wanted it to be simple, object oriented, and familiar.
- He wanted it to be robust and secure.
- He wanted it to have architecture neutral and portable.
- He wanted it to run with high performance.
- He wanted Java to be interpreted, threaded, and dynamic.
Gosling was able to succeed in these goals. One of the best qualities of Java is that is portable. Due to its portability, computer programs that are written in the Java language can run almost identically on any other supported hardware or operating platform.
The Java language is thus applicable to other systems. Java is able to do this by gathering the Java language code and then sending it to an intermediate representation that is known as Java bytecode. Java bytecode is then interpreted by a virtual machine.
Initial Problems
When Java was first introduced, there were problems with speed and the memory. Specifically, Java required more memory than programs written in different programming languages, and it was slower. Since its launch, however, Java has improved on these faults.
It was able to improve on these flaws by introducing its just-in-time compilation, adding several different language features such as inner classes and optional assertions, and changes in the Java Virtual Machine. Then, by specifically using a Java language Systronix the speed difficulties with Java were almost eliminated.
Java Versus C++
The syntax that Java uses is mostly derived from the C++ language. However, it differs from the C++ language. The C++ language operates by combining syntax for a type of structured and object oriented type of programming. However, Java instead was built to be exclusively an object-oriented language.
To do this, the code is written inside a class. Everything outside of this code that is written inside a class is then objects. The only exceptions to these objects are the intrinsic data types such as ordinal and real numbers. Java uses three different types of comments in the programming.
These three different types of commenting are the following:
- a single line that is distinguished by two forward slashes (for example, //)
- a multiple line format that uses a forward slash and then an asterisk (for example, /*) and a closed format with an asterick and then a forward slash (for example */)
- a forward slash and two asterisks (for example /**) and a close asterisk with a forward slash (for example, */)
Thus, now that you know the answer to what is Java, you can start using it to write your own computer programs!