Java Programming Language

Java is a powerful, versatile, object-oriented programming language used for building cross-platform applications. It is widely used in enterprise, mobile (Android), web, and embedded systems development.

History of Java

  • James Gosling developed Java at Sun Microsystems in 1995.
  • Java was designed with the philosophy of "Write Once, Run Anywhere" (WORA).
  • Over the years, Java has evolved with major versions introducing new features (generics, lambdas, streams, modules, etc.).

Where is Java Used?

  • Enterprise Applications: Banking, insurance, and large-scale business software.
  • Android Development: Most Android apps are written in Java.
  • Web Applications: Java is used for server-side applications via frameworks like Spring.
  • Embedded Systems: Java powers smart cards, sensors, and IoT devices.
  • Scientific Computing: Used in scientific and research communities for simulations and calculations.

Characteristics of Java

  • Object-Oriented: Supports OOP concepts like classes, objects, inheritance, encapsulation, polymorphism, and abstraction.
  • Platform Independent: Java code is compiled into bytecode, which runs on any system with a Java Virtual Machine (JVM).
  • Strongly Typed: Variables must be declared with a type and type checking is enforced.
  • Automatic Memory Management: Java uses garbage collection to manage memory.
  • Rich Standard Library: Extensive APIs for networking, data structures, GUI, and more.
  • Secure & Robust: Features like exception handling, strong type checking, and security manager.
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