It might make sense to think that since they both start the same, JavaScript and Java programming languages are the same. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Do Java and JavaScript refer to the same language? No, absolutely not. But what do Java and JavaScript share? We’ll set the two of them apart to clarify what makes them different.
What is Java?
While Java is a general purpose programming language launched in 1995, it’s also a computing platform for developing and running programs.
You may be wondering, “Where does name Java come from?” It comes from Java’s island-grown type of coffee, which makes sense seeing how much coffee has helped us!
At the time of updating this article (Nov. 2024), Java’s latest version is SE 23, with wide support for versions from 21 to 8.
Java Strengths
Used by companies like Spotify, Netflix and Slack, Java is particularly useful for building interactive yet complex applications.
This list of Java's strengths and features will consider it both as a programming language and a computing platform.
- Friendliness: As it harnesses a syntax similar to that of the English language, Java is quite easy to learn and use for beginners and even easier for those who know C or C++.
- Versatility: Its interoperability allows Java to deliver robust, scalable solutions for a wide range of applications, from Web Apps to Big Data products.
- Independence: The Java source code can run on any operating system, so teams can run Java programs on any device after installing the Java Runtime Environment (JRE).
- Suite: While the Java platform has amazing tools for compiling and debugging, it also works with a whole variety of Integrated Development Environments (IDEs), such as IntelliJIDEA, Eclipse and ApacheNetBeans.
- Community: Java has a strong and active community behind it, with constantly updated forums on StackOverflow and Reddit, to name a few.
Java Programming Language
As a programming language, Java works on the Work Once, Run Anywhere (WORA) approach for both Front End and Back End Development.
To sum it up, Java is a compiled, general-purpose, class-based and object-oriented programming language.
What’s more, Java is known for being easy to use, safe, platform-independent, multithreaded and having a rigid syntax due to its static typing.
Being compiled means that Java's conversion is directly into machine code so that the relevant processor can execute this compliment.
What’s more, being multithreaded allows the concurrent execution of two or more Java program parts to maximize CPU use.
As a class-based programming language, Java uses object classes to define hierarchies and inheritances, easing Product Development processes.
Lastly, as it’s object-oriented, Java organizes the code structure in object collections.
Java Programming Platform
The OOP programming language also offers two main products for the computing platform— the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and the Java Development Kit (JDK).
The JRE includes an execution engine (Java Virtual Machine or JVM), a set of libraries and other components needed to run Java applets and applications.
On its JDK, Java includes Javac, as well as other compilers and debuggers, while enclosing a variety of tools to help develop those applets and applications.
When to Use Java?
The object-oriented programming language, created by James Goslin, is widely used to develop several types of digital products.
Some of the most common uses of Java programming language are Android apps, Web Applications and Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs).
Yet, Java has increasingly become a key programming language for the Internet of Things (IoT) Apps, Distributed Apps, Cloud-Based Apps and Big Data processing.
What is JavaScript?
Built by Brendan Eich, also known as the co-founder of Mozilla, in 1995, JavaScript is a dynamic, lightweight scripting language.
The object-based, general-purpose and interpreted language is widely used for both Front and Back-End Development.
Since its launch, JavaScript has been one of the most popular languages for developing a wide array of digital solutions, being especially useful in cross-platform development.
Let’s go over some of the key features of JavaScript.
JavaScript Strengths
- Lightweight: Being lightweight allows JavaScript to leverage low memory usage, ease of use and straightforwardness. Its low CPU use, minimalism and flexible syntax also make it easy to implement.
- Dynamic: With dynamic types and values, JavaScript’s high-level status allows it to change structures according to project requirements and goals.
- Interpreted: Interpreted programming languages read the code during execution and interpret it as it goes. As the code doesn’t need to be compiled into machine code, it’s a great feature for building robust and efficient applications.
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When to Use JavaScript?
While JavaScript is a remarkably popular language for creating interactive web interfaces and server-side applications, it also has other applications.
Some JavaScript applications include mobile and even smartwatch applications by leveraging frameworks like React Native and web-based User Experiences (UX).
Yet, with evolving technology capabilities, JavaScript has started to be used to build solutions in areas like Data Visualization, Virtual Reality and Game Development.
Why is JavaScript Popular?
Ranked #1 on the StackOverflow Developer Survey, some companies that use object-oriented, class-based all-purpose JavaScript include Microsoft, Uber and Google.
Furthermore, the JavaScript programming language has many excellent benefits— let's review the ones that make it particularly popular:
- Learning: The language is both easy to understand and learn, and since it doesn’t need an environment setup and all that is needed to run it is a browser, it’s also easy to use.
- Compilation: As JS is an interpreted language, it does not require compilation: the fact that it's executable as soon as it’s written makes prototyping quite faster.
- Interoperability: You can easily integrate JavaScript into programs coded with other languages, which means you can use JS in a variety of applications.
- Versatility. Thanks to its extensive tools and libraries, JavaScript has a wide variety of uses, both in terms of front and back-end development and its list of applications.
- Community: JavaScript has a rich ecosystem and an even richer community! With forums on StackOverflow and Reddit, there’s always someone to help you.
Comparing JavaScript vs Java
Now that we’ve covered our bases let’s dig into what sets JavaScript vs Java programming.
As we’ve mentioned, JavaScript is a programming language, and Java is both a language and a computing platform— let’s call that Difference #1.
From here on out, we’ll focus on the differences between programming languages.
Are Java and JavaScript Related?
No, JavaScript and Java are not related— they’re not similar, either. The only thing that Java and JavaScript share is “Java” in their names.
In the context of Netscape being the most popular browser at the time of launching, Brendan Eich and Netscape’s name for JavaScript was initially Mocha.
Netscape decided to reach out to Java creators when Microsoft came along, and while Netscape couldn’t beat Internet Explorer, the name “JavaScript” remained.
Differences Between JavaScript vs Java Programming
Both languages can run in a web browser, and the syntax of both is like that of C+, meaning that they both use periods and curly brackets. And that’s where the similarities end!
The key difference between JavaScript vs Java is that Java is an object-oriented programming language, and JavaScript is an object-oriented scripting language.
Below, we’ll review four main elements that set these languages apart.
Programming Language vs Scripting Language
While Java is a programming language, JavaScript is technically a scripting language.
What does this mean? Scripting languages are a subset of interpreter-based programming languages.
Strongly-Typed vs Dynamically-Typed Language
Java is a strongly typed language, whereas JavaScript has dynamic typing. To sum it up, declaring variables in Java is quite rigid compared to JavaScript, which has a more relaxed syntax and rules.
Class-Based vs Prototype-Based Language
Java requires the use of classes —reusable code templates to create objects. As a result, creating a particular object in Java involves wrapping code in a class.
Within class declarations, there are functions that will get called once the class is defined. Only then does Java allow the specification of actions, meaning the process involves several lines of code.
Meanwhile, JavaScript allows to work with both classes and objects, using simple functions to define logic without previous declarations to express workflows in fewer code lines.
Even though Java takes longer to code initially, it’s less prone to bugs. In contrast, JS is more straightforward in the initial stages, but upkeep can be more time-consuming.
It’s worth noting that JavaScript recently added similar class constructions but not as complex as the ones in Java.
Compiled vs Interpreted Language
Java is a compiled language that checks the code of an entire project and turns it into machine code simultaneously, which helps catch potential syntactical errors —not logic errors— when compiling.
On the other hand, interpreted languages like JavaScript compile at runtime. Although this improves performance, it can harden when building and maintaining large projects.
Virtual Machine vs Browser Language
JavaScript runs only on browser environments, mainly for client-side scripting. Meanwhile, Java could always run in browsers and the Java Virtual Machine.
Yet, since Node.JS has recently become a JavaScript runtime environment, it considerably expanded JS capabilities!
When To Use Java or JavaScript
Both Java and JavaScript have their pros and cons, and, arguably, Java works better with some projects and JavaScript with others.
First, choosing a language depends on your team's skills and what you are looking to develop: as it’s a more complex language, Java is generally harder to learn than JavaScript.
Yet, the Java programming language is often better suited for general-purpose hardware programming and large-scale projects that rely on stability.
For instance, Java is widely used for scientific computing outcomes like the Internet of Things (IoT), as it can handle more data and computing, as well as being more stable.
Contrariwise, JavaScript was built with Web Development in mind, with combinations with HTML and CSS elements from the start.
Thanks to its community, libraries, and frameworks, JS has also expanded its server-side programming capabilities for building dynamic and interactive User Interfaces (UIs).
Conclusion
Although they are both known and popular choices, the Java vs. JavaScript debacle has created confusion for too long.
We hope this article has clarified any doubt you might’ve had about these two popular programming languages.
Also, we hope we’ve been of help to you or your team in knowing how to choose each of them for your business processes and short development times!
