Well, this question has popped up a lot recently. This is largely due to the fact that newer, more advanced languages have been released into mainstream programming. To answer this question, a simple answer is needed; no. Java is not dead, not by a long shot and you shouldn’t have your view of the language clouded because of younger programmers. In this article, I’ll explain to you why java isn’t dead and what makes it so great that it has managed to outlive its peers.
Why isn’t java dead?
It’s true that newer languages are all the talk recently and receive acclaim, however, TIOBE ranked Java as its top language of 2015 currently shows it enjoying 5% growth in use since 2014, more than any other programming language. The PYPL Index, a system that ranks languages based on how often language tutorials are searched on Google, clearly shows that java is among the most searched languages, with a search volume of 23.9%. there are so many reasons why java isn’t dead and won’t be for a while, but I’ll cover only a few in this writeup.
Java is easy to learn
This is probably an obvious point for people who have learned a few programming languages. Programming languages are always hard to learn and they require strong wills to be fully mastered, but once you set your mind to it, your efforts will pay off. Among the languages out here, java can be considered one of the easiest because it is an imperative language but also object-oriented and you can quickly become comfortable with it, which offers a rich and intuitive API with very high-quality documentation.
It does everything
As easy as it is to learn, java is not held back by limits as it can be used to construct almost any program. JavaFX is a modern solution for developing graphical interfaces. Since Java 11, JavaFX has been developed by the OpenJFX community, which does a great job in creating graphical software The Jakarta EE specification, formerly known as Java EE, allows the development of complete web applications (Internet or Intranet). So designing web pages and browsers are a breeze with java. It also has a strong name in the world of cloud computing as big companies such as; Amazon, Google, and Microsoft all support Java programming language for application development.
Java Is Free
Back in 2018, Oracle announced in a somewhat confusing way that the JDK would now be charged for professional uses in production. Programmers weren’t exactly pleased with this development. However, it has all been clarified: Oracle now distributes two builds of the JDK: Oracle JDK and Oracle OpenJDK
Oracle JDK is a free development and testing environment but you have to pay to use it in production. It comes with long-term support from Oracle. On the other hand, Oracle OpenJDK is free for any environment.
Therefore, Java remains free as long as you use Oracle OpenJDK. The fact that Java is free and especially that it will remain so in the future is a strong point in its favor. The price of a language always influences whether or not people use it.
There are lots of other reasons why Java still holds its grip on programming culture like Minecraft for example. An open-world sandbox game that was designed by Mojang some years back. Minecraft has sold more copies than any other video game since Tetris and currently holds the title of highest copies sold by a video game. Minecraft was designed on Java and this really gathered more followers for the language.
Why do people say Java is dead?
The Java language is often considered a dead one but as you can see above, it is still very much alive. It doesn’t hold as much dominance as it used to but it’s still a notable name in the world of programming. Then why exactly do people say Java is dead? Well here are a few reasons.
Competition
Another obvious point. When java first showed up in 1995, it brought new things to the table that no other language had. This made it rise in popularity to where it is today. However, there are a lot of rival languages(some of whom have surpassed Java), that appear to have better features than Java or a more ironed out Programming process. These rival Languages is one of the factors that have led to a decline in Java’s popularity.
Security
Back in 2013, some flaws in Java were exploited to carry out attacks on Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, and Twitter, among others. Oracle eventually closed up these chinks but the damage was already done. There were calls to get rid of the language in certain functions or to replace it entirely. This mar on the reputation of the language is not talked about much as of late but it contributes to pushing Java into the shadows to the point where people consider it a dead language.
Mobile Java
This is a point that is overlooked a lot. The Android OS runs on Java. However, the version of Java on Androids isn’t exactly the same as regular Java. Litigation over Java’s use on Android also could be a problem in the long term. Oracle initially lost its case but has succeeded on appeal. Also, Programmers have been banned from using Java to develop IOS apps and this is a huge issue for java.
Conclusion
No Java is not dead, to me, Java is not even dying. Sure it isn’t as big as it was and the demand for it is declining, it’s still a prominent language and Since Java has been around for many years now, the number of experienced Java programmers is very large, making the Java community a strong and reliable one.