Java is, without a doubt, one of the best programming languages ever created. Who can argue when most of the Fortune 500 companies are benefiting from its applications? Java is often considered a go-to programming language for web app development and more because it is very flexible and user-friendly.

The code written with Java can run on any operating system. Moreover, the language comes with amazing computational capabilities. Even in terms of popularity, Java is charted in the top three. Some may wonder what makes Java so popular.

Here, we give you the best reasons for it.

Top 6 reasons why Java is popular

1. User-friendly Language

The syntax of Java is similar to the English language. So, understanding and learning the language becomes easier. It's beneficial for developers at all levels, especially the beginners. After getting good at core Java, you can then move on to master advanced Java.

Knowing the basics of C and C++ will make it easier for you to learn Java. James Gosling says that Java is C++ without knives, clubs, and guns. It means that Java is the same as C++ but all complexities are eliminated.

As we discussed, the Syntax of Java is in English, it is also easier to understand the code of an application. So, working on an existing Java app is not hard at all. In short, the path to learning and using the Java programming language is an easy one.

2. Highly Flexible and Adaptive

From native applications to cloud servers and from microservices to AI, there is nothing that Java couldn't do. Java can easily adapt to the latest trending technologies, as it is very flexible. Moreover, its large community of developers contributes by developing a wide range of software development tools.

This has made it possible for Java to extend its applications to complex fields of data science, AI, ML, IoT and more. In addition to that, Java is highly compatible. Therefore, the apps developed using this language would be cross-platform.

It implements the practice of “write once run anywhere”. So, your Java applications would have no problem functioning on different platforms, operating systems or on various sizes of mobile devices. None of these factors affect the output of the app.

All the more reasons why Java is widely used around the world and why it's a preferred choice for business app development. Along with the WORA, the Java runtime environment makes it possible for your apps to run on any platform or device you desire. Top companies from various industries including finance, retail and more are leveraging the benefits of Java to boost their business growth.

3. Rich APIs

Java is an API-rich programming language. Its APIs are filled with various methods that can be used directly in any codebase. These methods can cater to a variety of requirements including managing input-output, parsing XML, connecting with databases, networking and more.

Java developers don't need to master all of these methods or have practical experience to use them. They just need to have clarity on the basics to be able to use them effectively.

In addition to the rich APIs, Java also offers several open-source libraries like Gson, Apache Commons, Apache Xerxes, OpenCV, Apache POI, Google Guava, and more.

4. Strong Community Support

One of the main reasons why the popularity of Java keeps increasing is because a strong, large and active community supports it.

So if you ever feel stuck with Java development, its community can help you out. Java has the potential to offer real-time solutions. Therefore, many businesses implement it for their projects. But when they get stuck over some technical issues, they actively seek out the Java community to resolve their issues.

There are many websites and forums online where experts help beginners and other developers in resolving their doubts and issues with Java programming. The community believes in offering reliable support to the public, just as is the case with all other open-source technologies.

5. Detailed Documentation

Being an open-source language, Java is free to use. Still, Java is one of the well-documented programming languages. Detailed guides are available online that can help developers clarify the coding problems they might be facing using Java.

Javadoc is an amazing and high-value guide that you can look for any help regarding Java programming. Whenever a developer is writing a java code to design an app they are required to create detailed documentation as well for future reference.

The online community of Java developers is growing exponentially and they want to help developers and businesses build various Java apps. If detailed documentation is available from the start, then a developer working on an existing Java app wouldn't have to face any difficulty in understanding the code, its purpose, where the modifications are required and how to proceed.

Excellent documentation makes Java one of the most popular programming languages.

6. Large array of development tools

We saw how Java is rich in terms of libraries and APIs. Well, it also offers a large range of IDEs and development tools. The Java IDEs are a comprehensive suite of several code editors, debuggers and automation tools.

IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse and NetBeans are to name some of the popular and widely used Java IDEs. In terms of development tools, ANT and Maven are well-known in the community. For continuous integration and delivery, you have Jenkins and for monitoring Heap usage, you can either go for Visual VM or JConsole.

Conclusion

The reasons we discussed here are just the trailer explaining the popularity of Java. There are many more reasons for choosing Java and what makes it so reliable and popular among developers, as well as businesses.

In addition to being easy to learn and use, Java programming makes your apps cross-platform. You can reuse the components in other apps too. The language is also flexible enough to adapt to the latest trends like AI, ML AR/VR, and more.

So, it won't be too much to say that Java programming language is an ideal choice for a developer and a must-have in your software development toolkit.

6 Reasons Why Java Is So Popular