Programming languages have come a long way since the formula translation language Fortran was developed in 1957. Since then, popular programming languages Java and JavaScript have been introduced to help keep up with evolving technology demands. Java and JavaScript are commonly confused as one programming language. However, they are very different.
Read on to learn the difference between Java and JavaScript.
What Is Java?
Java is an object-oriented, multi-platform, and network-centered programming language designed for lesser implementation dependencies. Out of over 300 programming languages, it is among one of the most versatile, compatible, and commonly used. It is also a computing platform for application creation.
The Java Platform
The Java platform is a group of programs that help programmers develop and run Java programming applications resourcefully. It has an execution engine, a compiler, and a set of libraries.
What Is Java Used For?
Java is secure, fast, and reliable. It can be used to program applications for both small and large development systems. It has been the backbone for connecting legacy enterprise systems to extremely dynamic web interfaces for broader use.
Here are some of its most important uses:
- It’s used for scientific computing applications
- It powers the Android phone operating system
- It assists in creating Enterprise Software
- It powers a wide range of mobile Java applications
- It programs hardware devices
- It’s used for Server-Side Technologies like JBoss, GlassFish, Apache, and more
The following enterprises use Java:
- Google uses Java in many apps, including Gmail, Android-based apps, and their Web Toolkit.
- PayPal was one of the first major payment platforms to use Java. They’ve started re-developing their platform using JavaScript; however, most of the code still uses Java.
- Twitter uses Java for its smooth interface.
- Tesla uses a combination of programming languages but relies on Java knowledge for their job searches.
- NASA relies on Java for observation and maintenance software.
- Minecraft is a popular video game developed with Java.
- Spotify mainly uses Python, but a large amount of Java is used in its backend development.
Java Features
Here are some of Java’s stand-out features:
- It is platform-independent. Therefore, some programs developed on one machine can be run on another.
- Java code can be written once and executed on nearly any computing platform.
- It is designed for the Internet’s distributed environment.
- It uses multithreading executions with automatic memory management.
- It is network-centric, thus enabling distributed computing.
- It’s built for developing object-oriented applications.
What Is JavaScript?
JavaScript is a powerful client-side text-based programming language that allows you to implement complex web page features. The static component of a webpage is created using HTML. So when a webpage does more than display static information, it uses JavaScript to enhance its functionality.
JavaScript is typically used to display content updates quickly for interactive interfaces, animated 2D/3D graphics, etc. JavaScript is the go-to language for creating interactive and entertaining websites.
What Is JavaScript Used For?
JavaScript is the most used client-side programming language in the world. It is flexible enough for various applications, including software, hardware controls, and servers. In addition, it is recognized as a web-based language, as it is native to the web browser. Here are some of JavaScript’s stand-out features.
JavaScript Is Used to Create Interactive Websites
JavaScript creates dynamic web pages. Some of the most popular websites, including YouTube, Facebook, and Google, are built using JavaScript. It accommodates the implementation of the following web page features:
- Displaying and hiding information or menus
- Adding animations
- Playing video or audio
- Creating pull-down and hamburger-style menus
- Adding hover effects
- Zooming in and out of images
- Creating a carousel for image galleries
JavaScript Is Used to Create Engaging Games
JavaScript is also mostly used to develop in-browser games. Creating 2D and 3D puzzles, racing, role-play, platform games, and more are all developed in JavaScript. Popular browser-based games include:
- 2048
- Polycraft
- Angry Birds
- Gods Will be Watching
- CrossCode
- Little Alchemy
JavaScript Is Used to Create Applications
Thanks to JavaScript’s extensive collection of pre-written code for standard features (framework), mobile and web apps can be developed efficiently. A JavaScript framework can be seen as a blueprint. Here are JavaScript’s most popular app frameworks:
React
React is a JavaScript library for developing the user interface for web apps. It is used by websites like Instagram, Uber, Netflix, and Pinterest.
Reactive Native
This is a collection to enable developers to build mobile applications using JavaScript. Reactive Native is used by applications including Shopify, Skype, Tesla, Discord, and Uber Eats.
Node.js:
This is a collection that allows two-way communication between servers to exchange data. Node.js is used by large business enterprises, including LinkedIn, eBay, Medium, GoDaddy, and Walmart.
JavaScript Features
Here are some of JavaScript’s stand-out features based on language use, general features, and experimental features:
Scripting Language
It’s a lightweight scripting language developed for client-side execution via the browser.
Interpreter Based
It is an interpreted language instead of a compiled one, meaning the browser will interpret the code as it runs.
Lightweight
It gets converted to bytecode just before running, which enables it to be lightweight.
Event Handling
This is an occurrence or action that communicates and lets you know about it so you can respond accordingly.
Case Sensitive
All keywords, function names, variables, and other identities must follow consistent letter capitalization.
Control statements. It’s equipped with control statements such as switch-case, if-else-if, and do-while loops to accommodate complex coding.
Java vs. JavaScript
There is some overlap between Java and JavaScript’s functionality; however, they function very differently. Here is a breakdown of the differences between Java and JavaScript.
The Difference Between Java and JavaScript
Java’s official website says that the main difference between Java and JavaScript is that Java is an object-oriented programming language (OOP) while JavaScript is an OOP script. JavaScript is text-based and is interpreted. However, Java must be compiled.
Compiled vs. Interpreted From a Developer’s Perspective
A compiled language like Java inspects an entire project’s code while enhancing and converting the code into byte code to be interpreted by the Java Virtual Machine. As a result, it may find a large number of syntactical errors and will highlight them at compile time.
While JavaScript reads your code at run time and interprets it as while it runs. This method is powerful and fast, and its performance is hardly noticeable.
Strongly Typed vs. Dynamically Typed Programming
Another significant difference between Java and JavaScript is Java is a strongly typed language, and JavaScript is dynamically typed.
Using Java, when you categorize an object of a specific type or create a variable of a set primitive type, the variable will be locked into that identity. The code will not execute successfully when there are mismatches. This constraint encourages good coding practice by ensuring intentions are aligned throughout the project.
However, a potential disadvantage to strong typing is more formality and no flexibility for you to work around the restrictions.
On the other hand, JavaScript’s dynamic typing offers less rigid syntax around declaring variables. It accommodates the definition of variables, object functions, data structures, and arrays in line where you need them. Although this produces some unstable-looking code, everything is in place at run time. You can define the structure of an object with context.
A disadvantage of dynamic typing is not knowing what a variable contains at any given time. If you appoint incorrect content to a variable anywhere in the code, it will not be discovered until the nonsensical line is executed.
A remedy for this includes defining specific types and then looking for those types, in addition to checking the functions and properties related to an object before using them. Again, Java handles this additional overhead.
Java and JavaScript Similarities
Java and JavaScript are both OOP languages. Java requires using objects throughout the code, while JavaScript allows for straightforward linear programming without objects. They both accommodate the primary staples of OOP, “inheritance” and “polymorphism.”
Inheritance is where you can derive a class from another class for a hierarchy of classes that share attributes and methods. Polymorphism is the delivery of an interface to entities of different types or the use of a symbol to signify several different types.
JavaScript’s dynamic typing nature makes inheritance and polymorphism more awkward. In addition, it requires relatively complex syntax to implement.
Which Language Is Easier to Learn?
While Java takes a while to learn, its demand, versatility, and earning power are worthwhile. And there is a great satisfaction that comes with developing your projects that run smoothly from the ground up. JavaScript is by far easier to learn than Java.
Java Is Not Short for JavaScript
Java and JavaScript are staples in the programming world. They are both OOP languages used for different applications and function very differently; however, they are commonly confused. Some may mistake Java as the abbreviation of JavaScript. The main difference between Java and JavaScript is that Java is an OOP language while JavaScript is an OOP script.
Java offers the capacity for stability and data handling and can be used for projects like scientific computing and the Internet of Things. While JavaScript is for developing interactive websites or games.
Java coding is more difficult to learn but less prone to bugs due to its rigid structure. In comparison to JavaScript, the outcome of coding in Java makes for more stable code and learning good coding practices.
