Java January vs. JS January… Which Do You Pick?

It's a new year, and you're looking for a new programming language to learn. You've heard of Java and JavaScript, but you're not sure which one to pick. They both have “Java” in their names, but they are very different languages. How do you decide which one is right for you?

In this article, I'll compare and contrast Java and JavaScript, and help you make an informed choice. I'll cover the following topics:

The history and purpose of each language
The syntax and features of each language
The pros and cons of each language
The popularity and trends of each language
The resources and tools for learning each language

By the end of this article, you'll have a better understanding of Java and JavaScript, and hopefully, you'll be able to pick one that suits your needs and goals. Let's get started!

The history and purpose of each language

Java

Java was created in 1995 by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems. It was originally designed for interactive television, but it was too advanced for the digital cable television industry at the time. It was then repurposed for developing web applications, and later, for desktop and mobile applications as well.

Java is a general-purpose, object-oriented, compiled, and strongly typed language. It follows the principle of “write once, run anywhere”, meaning that the same code can run on different platforms, as long as they have a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) installed. The JVM is a software layer that interprets and executes Java bytecode, which is the output of the Java compiler.

Java is widely used for enterprise applications, such as banking, e-commerce, and health care. It is also popular for Android development, as it is the official language for the Android SDK. Some of the famous applications that use Java are Gmail, Spotify, Netflix, and Minecraft.

JavaScript

JavaScript was created in 1995 by Brendan Eich at Netscape. It was originally named Mocha, then LiveScript, and finally JavaScript. It was designed to add interactivity and dynamic features to web pages, such as animations, validations, and user interactions.

JavaScript is a general-purpose, prototype-based, interpreted, and weakly typed language. It follows the principle of “write once, run everywhere”, meaning that the same code can run on different browsers, as long as they support the JavaScript engine. The JavaScript engine is a software component that parses and executes JavaScript code.

JavaScript is widely used for web development, both on the front-end and the back-end. It is also used for desktop and mobile applications, thanks to frameworks such as Electron and React Native. Some of the famous applications that use JavaScript are YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The syntax and features of each language

Java

Java has a C-like syntax, with curly braces, semicolons, and keywords. It is a case-sensitive language, meaning that uppercase and lowercase letters are treated differently. It is also a verbose language, meaning that it requires a lot of code to express a simple idea.

Here is an example of a Hello World program in Java:

// This is a single-line comment
/*
This is a multi-line comment
*/

// This is the class declaration
public class HelloWorld {

    // This is the main method, where the program starts
    public static void main(String[] args) {

        // This is a statement, which ends with a semicolon
        System.out.println("Hello, World!"); // This is a print statement
    }
}

Some of the features of Java are:

It supports multiple paradigms, such as imperative, declarative, functional, and concurrent programming.
It supports multiple inheritance, through interfaces and abstract classes.
It supports generics, which allow for parameterized types and methods.
It supports exceptions, which are used for error handling and control flow.
It supports annotations, which are used for metadata and code generation.
It supports concurrency, through threads and synchronizers.
It supports reflection, which allows for dynamic inspection and manipulation of classes and objects.

JavaScript

JavaScript has a C-like syntax, with curly braces, semicolons, and keywords. However, it is a case-sensitive language, meaning that uppercase and lowercase letters are treated differently. It is also a concise language, meaning that it requires less code to express a simple idea.

Here is an example of a Hello World program in JavaScript:

// This is a single-line comment
/*
This is a multi-line comment
*/

// This is a variable declaration, using the let keyword
let message = "Hello, World!"; // This is an assignment statement

// This is a print statement, using the console.log function
console.log(message);

Some of the features of JavaScript are:

It supports multiple paradigms, such as imperative, declarative, functional, and event-driven programming.
It supports prototype-based inheritance, which allows for dynamic creation and modification of objects.
It supports closures, which are functions that can access variables from their outer scope.
It supports promises, which are objects that represent the outcome of asynchronous operations.
It supports generators, which are functions that can yield multiple values over time.
It supports async/await, which are keywords that simplify asynchronous programming.
It supports destructuring, which is a syntax that allows for extracting values from arrays and objects.

The pros and cons of each language

Java

Some of the pros of Java are:

It is a mature and stable language, with a long history and a large community.
It is a fast and efficient language, with a high performance and a low memory footprint.
It is a secure and reliable language, with a strong type system and a robust error handling mechanism.
It is a portable and cross-platform language, with a wide range of applications and devices that support it.
It is a scalable and maintainable language, with a clear and consistent structure and a rich set of libraries and frameworks.

Some of the cons of Java are:

It is a complex and verbose language, with a steep learning curve and a lot of boilerplate code.
It is a rigid and inflexible language, with a strict syntax and a limited expressiveness.
It is a conservative and outdated language, with a slow evolution and a lack of modern features.
It is a monolithic and bloated language, with a heavy dependency on the JVM and a large codebase.
It is a verbose and tedious language, with a lot of repetition and boilerplate code.

JavaScript

Some of the pros of JavaScript are:

It is a simple and concise language, with an easy learning curve and a lot of flexibility.
It is a dynamic and expressive language, with a powerful and versatile syntax and a high productivity.
It is a modern and innovative language, with a fast evolution and a lot of new features.
It is a ubiquitous and universal language, with a wide adoption and a huge popularity.
It is a diverse and adaptable language, with a rich and vibrant ecosystem and a variety of libraries and frameworks.

Some of the cons of JavaScript are:

It is a messy and inconsistent language, with a lot of quirks and pitfalls.
It is a slow and inefficient language, with a low performance and a high memory consumption.
It is a insecure and unreliable language, with a weak type system and a poor error handling mechanism.
It is a fragmented and incompatible language, with a lot of variations and differences across browsers and platforms.
It is a chaotic and unpredictable language, with a lot of bugs and issues.

The popularity and trends of each language

Java

Java is one of the most popular and widely used programming languages in the world. According to the TIOBE Index, Java ranks as the second most popular programming language as of January 2024, with a market share of 16.28%. According to the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2023, Java ranks as the fifth most popular programming language among developers, with a usage of 35.66%.

However, Java is also one of the most declining and losing programming languages in the world. According to the TIOBE Index, Java has lost 4.61% of its market share since January 2023, and 9.64% since January 2022. According to the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2023, Java has lost 3.66% of its usage since 2022, and 7.34% since 2021.

The main reasons for Java's decline are:

The rise of newer and more modern languages, such as Python, Kotlin, and Swift, that offer more features and functionalities than Java.
The dissatisfaction and frustration of Java developers, who complain about the complexity, verbosity, and stagnation of the language.
The competition and fragmentation of the Java ecosystem, which is divided by different versions, vendors, and platforms.

JavaScript

JavaScript is one of the most popular and widely used programming languages in the world. According to the TIOBE Index, JavaScript ranks as the seventh most popular programming language as of January 2024, with a market share of 2.38%. According to the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2023, JavaScript ranks as the most popular programming language among developers, with a usage of 69.68%.

Moreover, JavaScript is also one of the most growing and trending programming languages in the world. According to the TIOBE Index, JavaScript has gained 0.38% of its market share since January 2023, and 0.76% since January 2022. According to the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2023, JavaScript has gained 1.68% of its usage since 2022, and 3.34% since 2021.

The main reasons for JavaScript's growth are:

The demand and popularity of web development, which is the primary domain of JavaScript.
The innovation and diversity of the JavaScript ecosystem, which offers a lot of frameworks and libraries for various purposes and platforms.
The flexibility and adaptability of the JavaScript language, which allows for rapid prototyping and experimentation.

The resources and tools for learning each language

Java

If you want to learn Java, you'll need to install the Java Development Kit (JDK), which includes the Java compiler, the Java runtime environment, and the Java standard library. You'll also need an integrated development environment (IDE), such as Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA, or NetBeans, which will help you write, debug, and run your Java code.

There are plenty of resources and tools for learning Java, such as:

The Java Tutorials, which are the official tutorials from Oracle, the company that owns and maintains Java.
Java in a Nutshell, which is a classic book that covers the core features and concepts of Java.
Codecademy, which is an online platform that offers interactive courses and exercises for learning Java.
Coursera, which is an online platform that offers courses and certifications from top universities and companies for learning Java.
HackerRank, which is an online platform that offers challenges and contests for practicing and improving your Java skills.

JavaScript

If you want to learn JavaScript, you'll need a web browser, such as Chrome, Firefox, or Safari, which will allow you to run and test your JavaScript code. You'll also need a code editor, such as Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, or Atom, which will help you write and edit your JavaScript code.

There are plenty of resources and tools for learning JavaScript, such as:

MDN Web Docs, which are the official documentation from Mozilla, the organization that develops and maintains JavaScript.
Eloquent JavaScript, which is a popular book that covers the fundamentals and advanced topics of JavaScript.
FreeCodeCamp, which is an online platform that offers self-paced courses and projects for learning JavaScript.
Udemy, which is an online platform that offers courses and certifications from instructors and experts for learning JavaScript.
CodeWars, which is an online platform that offers challenges and games for practicing and improving your JavaScript skills.

Conclusion

Java and JavaScript are two very different programming languages, with different histories, purposes, syntaxes, features, pros, cons, popularity, and trends. Depending on your goals and preferences, you may choose one over the other, or even learn both.

If you want a fast, efficient, secure, reliable, portable, scalable, and maintainable language, you may choose Java. If you want a simple, concise, dynamic, expressive, modern, ubiquitous, diverse, and adaptable language, you may choose JavaScript.

If you want to develop enterprise, desktop, or mobile applications, you may choose Java. If you want to develop web, desktop, or mobile applications, you may choose JavaScript.

If you want to learn a mature, stable, consistent, and structured language, you may choose Java. If you want to learn a new, innovative, versatile, and flexible language, you may choose JavaScript.

Ultimately, the choice is yours. Both languages have their strengths and weaknesses, and both languages have their fans and critics. The best way to decide is to try them out yourself, and see which one you like better.

I hope this article was helpful and informative for you. Thank you for reading, and happy coding! 😊

AI assistance and / or rephrasing was involved in this article's creation.