Although Java’s programming language appeared more than two decades ago, it continues to be actively used. While some IT professionals that belong to the new and younger generation consider it outdated, many companies are still in need of java application development services. Thus, if someone says that Java is already dying in 2022, this statement is fundamentally wrong, and further arguments will try to show you why.
This article aims to answer whether Java is dying in 2022 or just entering a new phase. So, if you are interested in the topic – keep reading.
What is Java?
Java is a multi-level programming language that has become one of our most important programming languages.
Some estimates say that Java is used on more than 3 billion devices worldwide as it’s used across multiple industries. As an object-oriented language that is free to use and run on various platforms, Java is built on C and C++ but with the idea to simplify it for beginners. Java is commonly used for:
- Mobile app development
- Game development
- Machine learning (ML)
- Open source development
- Stock market
Advantages of Using Java
Java is very simple as it was made for beginners. It has a vivid online community that makes it easy to learn. It’s a multithread system as it supports multiple threads of execution. Another great feature is its versatility, as the use of bytecode allows it to be used with other programming languages.
How Java Functions Today
Based on the results of numerous reports and opinions of IT industry leaders, we can summarize the following about the Java programming language:
- Despite the appearance in the IT market of such modern programming languages as Rust or Python, which slightly pushed Java, its popularity remains, and many developers are willing to integrate it into their new products.
- One of the most popular technologies used by web designers worldwide is the Spring framework, which is explicitly based on the Java language. Thus, for web designers, this universal language remains the most popular, but in recent years, the IT industry has offered practically nothing more advanced than Java.
- The statistics of training courses and companies involved in this type of activity declare that interest in learning the Java programming language is gradually declining, but not so much as to completely exclude its development at a professional level from educational programs. The interest in technologies such as Spring or Hadoop is similar to Java in terms of demand.
- The complexity of multi-stage coding distinguishes Java from other programming languages. However, its algorithm does not stand out much from other programming languages. That’s why experts and professionals feel positive and negative about this technology but do not stop using it.
- The industry experts who say that Java will soon disappear are greatly mistaken. This language is working and in demand, as evidenced by the fact that many industries in the world of IT technologies need Java for their digital products.
- Experts have every reason to talk about the fate of Java in the IT market because it was invented and implemented in 1995, and many things have changed since then.
- Original algorithms and the almost complete absence of active competitors in the market for new programming languages suggest that Java will live for a long time and be implemented and used in various systems and technologies.
What facts speak about the demand for the Java language in 2022?
If some of the skeptics still do not believe that the Java language is still prevalent in the market of advanced IT technologies, below are the facts and essential opinions of experts and extras who prove this fact:
- According to statistics from previous years, the authoritative GitHub agency compiled a detailed rating of the TOP 10 most popular programming languages on the market, and it was Java that took second place among competitors as of the end of 2018.
- According to statistical polls of over 30 thousand different software developers and designers from more than 150 countries worldwide, the Java programming language also falls into the top five regarding demand and popularity.
- It is known that more than half of the world-famous companies whose main activity is the development of web applications use the Java programming language, as indicated by statistics and graphs based on market research as of 2021.
- Java is unevenly used around the world. Still, if less than half of developers use it in Europe and America, then in such densely populated Asian countries as Korea or China, this percentage exceeds 70% – 80%, which indicates that most platforms are equipped with Java and its derivative programs.
- A slight decrease in popularity is associated with the arrival of young professionals on the market. Some were not yet born when Java was introduced into the IT industry, indicating their subjective attitude towards this technology as obsolete. However, at the same time, with studying other programming languages, they realized that Java was the legislator of many trends that are actively used today among most competitors.
- One of the most important arguments is the farrowing of private experts or top managers of large IT companies who have been working on the market for many years and with vast experience. Yes, they believe that it is not necessary to completely neglect the study of other programming languages. Still, a deep understanding of all the intricacies of encryption, development, and use of Java can undoubtedly help every new specialist since the operating application environment around the Java core is unlikely to change in the coming years.
Thus, Java cannot be called a disappearing or dead programming language since hundreds of millions of users, and tens of thousands of developers worldwide integrate it into various platforms. Moreover, many developers use it to solve complex practical problems while achieving the highest efficiency.
Why will developers continue to use Java in the foreseeable future?
Suppose someone doubts that Java will live for many more years and its complete withdrawal from the market will not be very soon. In that case, the high demand for this technology not only among users and ordinary developers but also among the most prominent players in the IT industry market shows a different story.
One of the world’s largest and most reputable IT companies, Oracle 2011, initiated a significant acquisition of Sun Microsystems, originally the creator and owner of the Java programming language. This indicates the interest of major players in this business area in the system.
In addition to a simple purchase with a lump sum payment of a fee to former ulcers, Oracle also made substantial investments in developing this programming language. Three years after the merger, a wholly modernized Java 8 was announced.
After another three years, in 2017, and after large-scale investments, the IT industry got a fundamentally new product – Java 9, distinguished by its simple interface and the presence of innovative achievements and upgrades compared to the previous releases of the platform.
Final Word
Even though after 2017, the Java 9 version was no longer updated, every year, the developer company released a new release of this platform, which, taking into account the development of network technologies and cloud services, is distinguished by autonomous operation, scalability and the presence of many convenient feature users.
Improvements only make learning Java easier, increasing its popularity among consumers. Thus, Java is not only not going to die but continues to develop actively. Next year, the world will most likely see such versions of this programming language as Java 10, which will keep up with the times and, if not outperform competitors, then develop with them on the same level.
