In June 1991, James Gosling, Mike Sheridan, and Patrick Naughton initiated the Java language project. The original intention behind designing Java was for interactive television: however, it was too advanced for the digital cable television industry. Also, Java’s original name was Oak after an oak tree that was outside Gosling’s office. Then, the name changed to Green and, at last, was renamed Java, after the coffee that comes from Indonesia.
Java was designed keeping five principles in mind:
- Must be simple, object-oriented, and familiar.
- Must be robust and secure.
- Must be architecture-neutral and portable.
- Must execute with high performance.
- Must be interpreted, threaded, and dynamic.
What is Java and its popular uses?
Java is one of the most popular programming languages used to create Web applications and platforms. It is an object-oriented language similar to C++, but with advanced and simplified features. Java is free to access and can run on all platforms.
It possesses some important features like:
- Simple
- Portable
- Object-oriented
- Secured
- Dynamic
- Robust
- High Performance
- Multithreaded
“According to the Java official page, more than 1 billion computers and 3 billion mobile phones worldwide run Java"
It is a concurrent language, which means you can execute many statements at a time instead of sequentially executing it. It is a class-based and object-oriented programming language and is an independent programming language that follows the logic of 'write once, run anywhere', i.e., the compiled code can run on all platforms that support Java.
There are 3 main components of Java, which are:
- JVM (Java Virtual Machine)
- JRE (Java Runtime Environment)
- JDK(Java Development Kit)
Although they all look similar, they are different and are meant for specific purposes.
JRE = JVM + libraries to run Java application
JDK = JRE + tools to develop Java application
Importance and Uses of Java
Due to its simplicity and robust nature, Java is being used in many industries as an essential core of their functionalities. It is used to create applications that run on a single computer or is distributed among servers and clients over a network.
A small app module or applet can also be built by using Java. Java has become popular due to the following reasons-
- You can write software on one platform and run it on any other platform (virtually).
- You can create programs that run within a web browser and access available web services.
- Development of server-side applications for online forums, stores, polls, HTML forms processing is possible due to Java.
- Customizing apps and services by combining different apps and services is done using the Java language.
- Writing powerful apps for mobile phones, remote processors, wireless modules, sensors, gateways, and consumer products is done easily by using Java.
Uses:
- 97% of all enterprise desktops run on Java.
- 89% of all desktops/computers in the U.S run on Java.
- There are 9 million Java developers worldwide and the number keeps going up!
- Java is the 1st choice for any developer.
- Java is the most widely used development platform in the world.
- 3 billion mobile phones in the world run on Java.
- All the Blu-ray disc players ship with Java.
- 125 million TV devices run on Java.
- 5 of the Top 5 Original Equipment Manufacturers Ship Java ME.
- It is also used in banking and retail for transaction management and billing applications respectively.
If you are a business owner or work in the IT sector, you must be aware of the importance of Java. Java is the most popular programming language in today’s time. Therefore, the need for Java job roles has gone up in the market.
Thus, like our previous blogs, i.e, Skills To Look For In A Digital Marketer and How To Assess And Hire Data Scientists? We have made a concise list of job roles and skills related to the Java language.
Also Read: How iMocha Online Java Programming Tests can Help You Save $1200 Per Hire?
Skills Required for Java Developer Roles
1. Junior Java Developer
They are entry-level programmers who are a part of a team of coders and developers. They work on both front-end and back-end codes.
Skills Required
- JSP / Servlets.
- Web Frameworks like Struts / Spring.
- Service-Oriented Architecture / Web Services – SOAP / REST.
- Web Technologies like HTML, CSS, Javascript, and JQuery.
- Markup Languages like XML and JSON.
2. Senior Java Developer
They work with Java programming language to develop web apps and computer systems. Also, they assign tasks to other team members, designing and testing code, and communicating with clients to analyze their needs. Thus, important to have advanced Java skills.
Skills Required
- Experience designing, building and testing Java EE applications
- In-depth knowledge of popular Java frameworks like JSF and Spring MVC
- Experience with Object-Oriented Design (OOD)
- Good delegation and time management skills
- Problem-solving abilities
- BSc. in Computer Science, Engineering or relevant field
3. Java Backend Developer
He/She must have specialisation in using java developer skills to build applications. Java developers are sought after a wide variety of sectors and there are various java backend skills which a Java developer must have.
Skills Required
- Development of business logic and back end systems for product support;
- Creation of functional APIs;
- Cross-browser and adaptive HTML5 / CSS3 layout;
- Design of service architecture;
- Creation of the site core;
- Development of a platform and its core functionality;
- Design of user interfaces.
- Work with code architecture;
- Monitoring of the status of servers.
4. Java Software Engineer
The engineer designs and develops computer apps using the Java programming language. Also, coordinates with the web developers and other software engineers to merge java software into online platforms and other computer software.
Skills Required
- JavaServer pages (JSP) and servlets
- Web frameworks (e.g., Struts and Spring)
- Service-oriented architecture/web services (SOAP/REST)
- Web technologies like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and JQuery
- Markup languages like XML and JSON
- Object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts and patterns
- File IO and serialization
- Collections: lists, maps, sets
- Java keywords: static, final, volatile, synchronized, transient, this super, etc.
- Java virtual machine (JVM) and memory management
5. Java Specialist
They work with the QA, Ops, and Development teams to execute test plans for a company’s integrations. They ensure that the customer has the best experience while using the company’s products.
Skills Required
- Primary Skill Set - Java, Java 2EE, Servlets, JSP, Spring, Web Services
- Secondary Skillset - Advanced JavaScript, AJAX, HTML5 & CSS3
- Hands-on development experience in a Java/J2EE based software stack
- Good demonstrated experience with Spring, JavaScript, DAO Frameworks
- Good Knowledge on Design Patterns and Design methodologies
6. Java Application Architect
They are software technology expert who make high level design choices and look after the technical standards, including software coding, tools, and platforms. They should also be a technical expert in the latest design patterns.
Skills Required
- Core Java, Java EE
- Spring - Spring Boot, Spring Cloud, Spring Data, Spring REST, Spring Security, Spring MVC, Spring Scheduler, Spring AOP, Spring ORM, Spring JMS integration
- Web Services (SOAP/ REST, Tools like Axis/ CXF).
- Security - OAuth, SAML, Token based authentication
- Application Servers and Web Servers (Weblogic, Tomcat)
- Messaging (Kafka, MQ etc.)
- Database (SQL/ PL- SQL, Performance tuning) and Frameworks (Hibernate)
7. Full Stack Java Developer
They should have the ability to develop an application or a product from end to end, i.e, from scratch to live deployment. This also includes UI/UX development, server programming, APIs, and database designs.
Skills Required
- HTML, CSS, and Javascript
- Programming languages (back end)
- Databases
- Version control
- Deployment and hosting
- Third-party APIs/services
- Knowledge of responsive UI and a UI framework like bootstrap js.
- Knowledge of JavaScript mvc framework like Angularjs.