History of Java

We will learn about the history of the Java programming language in this part of our Java programming series.

Java is a programming language developed by Sun Microsystems and introduced in 1995. Java was originally called "Oak" and was developed by a team led by James Gosling, Mike Sheridan and Patrick Naughton.

The advent of Java highlighted the importance of a portable, platform-independent programming language. At the time, the computer industry was challenged by inconsistencies between different platforms, making it difficult for software to run seamlessly across them. Java aimed to solve this problem with its portability feature known as "write once, run anywhere".

When Sun Microsystems released Java in 1995, its use expanded rapidly, particularly in the development of web-based applications. Java could be integrated into web browsers using "applets", small programs that could run inside browsers.

Originally conceived not as a programming language for embedded systems, but rather as a language compatible with the Internet and browsers, Java's scope has broadened over time. Today, Java is widely used in areas ranging from mobile applications to large-scale enterprise software development.

Java remains one of the most popular and widely used programming languages in the world. It continues to play a key role in various domains, including enterprise-level applications, mobile development, web development, and more. Despite the emergence of newer languages and technologies, Java's stability, scalability and extensive ecosystem of libraries and frameworks contribute to its continued relevance.

The release of Java 8, Java 11 and later Long-Term Support (LTS) versions has brought many improvements and modern features that enhance the performance, security and usability of the language. In addition, the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) provides a robust platform for running Java applications on different operating systems.

The current development of Java is managed by Oracle Corporation. Oracle is responsible for developing, maintaining and updating Java. They release the Java Development Kit (JDK) and Java Standard Edition (SE) versions and oversee the development processes. They also support and contribute to the open-source version of Java known as OpenJDK.

Oracle plays an important role in the development and sustainability of Java, but the development of Java is also supported by a global community. The open-source nature of Java allows many developers to contribute, provide feedback and help advance the language.