Why exactly should you study Java?

The situation with "ordinary" human languages is all clear: in today's world, you need to know your native language and English well. The need for other languages depends on your specific circumstances. In the world of software development, there is no such universal language that could be called "the English of programming". At least half a dozen market leaders aspire to this title. But it was Java that came seriously close to achieving it. And here's why...

What is good about Java from the point of view of a student programmer or professional programmer

This language is quite simple.

What does the phrase "simple programming language" actually mean? Usually this means two things. The first is that it is easy to learn for those who do not know anything about programming. Second, it can effectively solve various problems. People who have already tried to learn a language will appreciate this. Both of these points apply to Java in full.

Learning Java is really quite easy. And all because it is a relatively high-level language. This means that you don't have to go deep into the weeds that must be understood in lower-level languages. For example, in Java, garbage collection (i.e. "killing" objects that take up space in memory but are no longer used) happens without your involvement, unlike in C++. But at the same time, Java is low-level enough to handle most tasks.

Let's clarify one important point. There are languages that are initially easier to learn than Java. For example, Python — thanks to its concise and understandable syntax. Or Pascal/Delphi, a logically structured language specifically created for teaching (however, now it is studied mainly in high schools and mostly due to inertia).

But some point, the situation suddenly changes. Most of the "real" tasks are easier to solve in Java than in Python, and even more so than in Delphi.

Libraries and frameworks for every occasion

If a developer faces some difficult programming task, it is highly likely that there is already a ready-made Java library that will help solve it. The important thing here is not to be lazy — read the documentation or ask a question on a popular forum, such as Stack Overflow.

And if you're still studying with us, then ask questions in the "Help" section on CodeGym. We think it's very useful for students to implement sorting algorithms on their own once or twice, just to understand how they work. But in real-world work, you no longer need to remember them by heart. You just need to know that Java already has tools for this (in particular, Collections.sort()). And this is just an example for learning. Because Java has been actively used for serious tasks for a long time, you can find Java libraries and frameworks for everything (well, almost everything).

Huge community and quality documentation

Perhaps you've already seen the joke about the three-button Stack Overflow keyboard in programming forums? Well, this joke is not so far from the truth: programmers very often use someone else's code, and beginners aren't the only ones who ask questions on the most popular developer forums. For example, there are a lot of Java professionals who help solve problems on Stack Overflow. So the chances are high that you will be helped with your problem. In addition, if you don't understand something, then most likely you can figure it out with the help of one or another article in the documentation — Java has very good documentation.

Java's technical and structural advantages

Cross-platform

"Write once, run anywhere" is a phrase about Java. You don't have to rework a Java application in order for it to run on computers with different operating systems. You need to install virtual machines written for the various operating systems.

Of course, everything is not so simple. Obviously, it won't be possible to run a "heavy" enterprise application on an antediluvian mobile phone. That said, the most antediluvian phone has a Java virtual machine. This approach greatly simplifies development.

Object orientation

Java is an object-oriented language, and in this language this "orientation" is implemented in the best way. Essentially, everything is an object, and you will learn the concepts of inheritance, abstraction, encapsulation, and polymorphism at their best.

Excellent multithreading

Multithreading is a must when dealing with blocking operations and graphical interfaces. And in general, if you can implement parallel data processing, why not do it?

Java offers a wide range of multithreading capabilities, ranging from simple synchronization and methods for suspending/resuming threads to specialized classes. In practice, multithreading is very difficult, especially for novice programmers. That said, Java has everything to make it as convenient as possible.

Java is constantly evolving while maintaining backwards compatibility with previous versions.

The ninth version of Java may have been in the works for several years, but starting from the tenth, Java changes its version number every six months, often acquiring new interesting and useful features. But the best thing is that developers do not need to rewrite all their code every time a new version is released. This is because Java observes backwards compatibility: all earlier versions are compatible with subsequent ones. Of course, there are nuances, but they are insignificant compared to many other languages.

Java's advantages in terms of your career

Java is everywhere

It's easier for a Java developer to find a field to his or her liking, and later to change fields without having to retrain. This language is used to create server-side financial services applications, web applications, embedded systems, big data applications, Android apps, and scientific applications. The list could go on and on.

Java is everywhere 2 A Java programmer can find work in almost any country in the world, and he or she will be able to do this much more easily than a developer that uses other languages. Java remains one of the most popular languages in the world — just look at the rankings, such as the TIOBE.

Excellent salaries

Last but not least, a good knowledge of Java pays well.

All these reasons described above prompted us to create the CodeGym course. And we intend to focus on Java, because we sincerely love this language. It is not only popular and promising, it is also an excellent working tool that cultivates a strong programmer mindset. The important thing is to not idle about during your studies — write as much code as possible.