[crazyjugglerdrummer]

I was wondering, what is java primarily used for? Animation can be done with flash, server side stuff can be done with PHP and ASP and all that. I suppose we do need a language that is cross-platform for application development and web-stuff, so we can have that platform independence when we need it. It can communicate with databases and do networking stuff, but can't that be accomplished with other stuff? I guess its a good thing to have multiple ways to do the same thing, but I'm curious as to the various things that can be done with java and what its niche is as a programming language and on the web.

Don't get me wrong, I like java a lot, especially since its similar to C++ which makes it a lot easier to pick up. I'm career pondering and curious about what role java will play in different situations.

Thanks guys!

[TechWar]

I'm in the same postion and would love to know this answer.
All I know is that in my area, Java is more prevalent in job descriptions than C++ or C#

[abgorn]

Server applications and mobile game/app development I guess. It's mostly JavaEE and JavaME used in the market place.

[c0mrade]

Yeah Java is huge on the server side.

Not just just for web applications, all kind of server side apps.

[Raynes]

Server side development is what Java shines in. Java can be used for /anything/. Java can do anything C++, Clojure, Scala or VB can do, and vice versa with enough thought and work.

[markhazlett9]

Java's main advantage in regards to desktop applications. It has the ability to run on most platforms without the need to change your code.

[rahulbatra]

Everything that Java does can be done with another programming language provided you choose the right one. Where Java wins is its vast ability to do quite a few things from desktop apps to dynamic websites to server side apps.

Plus a huge benefit is that Java is the most used language right now and most big corps usually pick it rather than going for the new hot language of the year. Getting a job is usually easier if you know Java.

[prajayshetty]

what about c# guys

[Locke]

prajayshetty, on 10 Apr, 2009 - 06:15 AM, said:

what about c# guys

That's not the question.

[PsychoCoder]

rahulbatra, on 10 Apr, 2009 - 01:05 AM, said:

Where Java wins is its vast ability to do quite a few things from desktop apps to dynamic websites to server side apps.

C# can do desktop applications, dynamic web applications and server side applications as well, so I would call that a win for Java.
</RANT>

[Locke]

PsychoCoder, on 10 Apr, 2009 - 11:09 AM, said:

rahulbatra, on 10 Apr, 2009 - 01:05 AM, said:

Where Java wins is its vast ability to do quite a few things from desktop apps to dynamic websites to server side apps.

C# can do desktop applications, dynamic web applications and server side applications as well, so I would call that a win for Java.
</RANT>

C# isn't cross-platform.

[markhazlett9]

Locke, on 10 Apr, 2009 - 10:16 AM, said:

PsychoCoder, on 10 Apr, 2009 - 11:09 AM, said:

rahulbatra, on 10 Apr, 2009 - 01:05 AM, said:

Where Java wins is its vast ability to do quite a few things from desktop apps to dynamic websites to server side apps.

C# can do desktop applications, dynamic web applications and server side applications as well, so I would call that a win for Java.
</RANT>

C# isn't cross-platform.

Which is really the point of running on a virtual machine anyways.

[kewlkreator]

Video games!
Try something like runescape!
PyroSand2!

[Martyr2]

Purpose of a virtual machine, to allow a language to be developed with a human in mind and independent of the machine it is running on. Think of the virtual machine as an interface that shields the language from the underlying OS and hardware. Remember, virtual machines translate programming code into the PROPER MACHINE LANGUAGE that the computer running it can understand.

There are virtual machines for various platforms and all take the same programming code and will translate it into different machine code for each type of machine it is to be run on.

As for the original question, Rahul is right. Java does everything that any other language can do provided you pick the correct one. But unlike what others have been saying, in fact the power of Java is 2 main things. It is cross platform compliant (primarily so it can run on Sun Microsystems mainframes and such) but the second part is that its a solid language for MOBILE devices. It can have a very small footprint thus run on machines with limited memory capabilities. This makes it perfect for cell phones etc.

Java would be seriously hurting right now if it didn't have such a strong grip on the mobile market. The only competitor is really windows mobile/CE which is still a bit bloated.

But in the overall scheme of things, yes everything that Java does is done by other languages. The same can be said for many other languages. Everything you can do in C# or VB can be done in other languages as well. This overlap is the reason why many vendors are beginning to try and merge languages together into a singular language that can run on virtually any platform.

Proof of this is pointed out by PsychoCoder himself in his thread about C# and VB possibly being merged together here soon. I would estimate that VC++ and C# will be merged very quickly as well.

Industry News - Microsoft to Merge VB.NET and C#

I hope we have a bit of merging but not everything merged. There should be a few choices, but not as many choices as there are out there right now.

[abgorn]

Martyr2, on 10 Apr, 2009 - 11:18 AM, said:

Purpose of a virtual machine, to allow a language to be developed with a human in mind and independent of the machine it is running on. Think of the virtual machine as an interface that shields the language from the underlying OS and hardware. Remember, virtual machines translate programming code into the PROPER MACHINE LANGUAGE that the computer running it can understand.

There are virtual machines for various platforms and all take the same programming code and will translate it into different machine code for each type of machine it is to be run on.

As for the original question, Rahul is right. Java does everything that any other language can do provided you pick the correct one. But unlike what others have been saying, in fact the power of Java is 2 main things. It is cross platform compliant (primarily so it can run on Sun Microsystems mainframes and such) but the second part is that its a solid language for MOBILE devices. It can have a very small footprint thus run on machines with limited memory capabilities. This makes it perfect for cell phones etc.

Java would be seriously hurting right now if it didn't have such a strong grip on the mobile market. The only competitor is really windows mobile/CE which is still a bit bloated.

But in the overall scheme of things, yes everything that Java does is done by other languages. The same can be said for many other languages. Everything you can do in C# or VB can be done in other languages as well. This overlap is the reason why many vendors are beginning to try and merge languages together into a singular language that can run on virtually any platform.

Proof of this is pointed out by PsychoCoder himself in his thread about C# and VB possibly being merged together here soon. I would estimate that VC++ and C# will be merged very quickly as well.

Industry News - Microsoft to Merge VB.NET and C#

I hope we have a bit of merging but not everything merged. There should be a few choices, but not as many choices as there are out there right now.

I've got a man crush on you and your knowledge.