Java Programming: Leveraging One of the Most Popular Coding Languages

From mapping the human genome to helping people stream their favorite movies and music, Java programming is powering many modern technologies. Java has become an essential tool for today’s developers, providing a powerful, stable, and reliable way to build data applications and work with data at scale. In this article, we’ll explore why Java programming is so popular, examples of how it’s used, and how Snowflake can help developers make the most of Java. 

Why Is Java Programming So Popular?

Sun Microsystems initially created Java as a means for consumer appliances to communicate with each other. A lot has changed since it was first released in 1995, but Java has successfully evolved to meet the changing needs of developers. Here are a few reasons why Java has stood the test of time.

1. Platform-agnostic

Java is a compiled language that can run on any device with a Java Virtual Machine (JVM) installed, making it platform-agnostic. It works on any operating system, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, without compilation. Code is executed in a single step rather than first requiring compilation and then execution. 

2. Object-oriented

As an object-oriented language, Java’s modularity makes it easy to troubleshoot and track down the source of issues when something goes wrong. Java also benefits from inheritance—the ability of the subclasses to inherit traits of the generic class. This allows programmers to save time by developing reusable code that’s easy to maintain.

3. Robust

The Java language was designed to enhance security. It has a number of built-in features, including automatic garbage collection to strengthen the robustness of application code and a secure class loading and verification mechanism to ensure that only legitimate Java code is executed. In addition, Java’s advanced security architecture includes a large collection of APIs, tools, and implementations of security algorithms to prevent common programming errors. 

4. Scalable

Java is easy to scale. It’s frequently used to develop large-scale applications, data pipelines, and systems, including enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and supply chain management systems.

5. Vibrant community of users

Java is a popular language with a large and highly active community of developers. As a result, developers can speedily identify solutions to problems and collaborate on projects. Additionally, the large number of libraries and frameworks available for Java helps programmers build and maintain robust and scalable applications more easily.

6. Strong tools and development environment

Java benefits from a well-established development environment. With integrated development environments (IDEs), such as Eclipse and IntelliJ IDEA, and a wide range of tools and frameworks that can be used to build and test applications, Java developers can work quickly and efficiently. 

How Developers Use Java Programming 

Java is one of the most widely used programming languages today. The following real-world applications of Java programming highlight how it's being used to solve problems and make data more accessible.

Enterprise applications

With no technical dependency and the ability to run on all modern hardware, Java is ideal for building large-scale enterprise applications. Its scalability allows developers to add new features and capabilities over time as organizational needs evolve. 

Mobile apps 

Java’s well-rounded character makes it ideal for mobile development. In fact, it is the primary language for developing Android mobile applications. With multiple features that improve app performance, such as just-in-time compilation, garbage collection, and efficient resource utilization, Java has become an essential tool for mobile app developers.

Scientific computing and data analysis

Java is commonly used in scientific computing, especially in the fields of finance, physics, and bioinformatics. Java underpins multiple data science processes, including data import, cleaning, machine learning, and statistical analysis. 

Data pipelines

Java is ideal for use in large-scale data processing. It’s commonly relied on for executing transforms as part of the ETL flow.

Embedded systems/IoT devices

Closest to its original intent as a software for networked devices and embedded systems, Java is now used to develop embedded systems for smart devices, such as refrigerators, televisions, and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

FinTech

Java’s ease of use, ability to handle enormous amounts of data, and suite of robust security features explain why it’s become the primary language for developing financial technology (FinTech) applications. Java is ideal for building financial tools, including online brokerage trading platforms, payment gateways, and personal finance management tools.

Web development

Due to its flexibility, scalability, built-in security features, and compatibility with numerous other technologies, Java is often used for creating dynamic web applications, especially on the server side. It’s useful for developing sophisticated applications that require the integration of multiple technologies.

Accelerating Java Programming with Snowflake

With native support for Java, Python, and Scala, Snowflake Snowpark empowers data engineers, developers, and data scientists to explore and process data on a single platform. Empower your teams, allowing them to collaborate on the same single copy of your data. The Snowpark library is a simple, easy-to-use API for querying and processing data in a data pipeline. Users can pair their language of choice with familiar DataFrame and custom function support to build powerful and efficient pipelines, machine learning (ML) workflows, and data applications while working inside the Snowflake Data Cloud.