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Java is arguably one of the most popular programming languages among developers. It creates web applications, customized software, and web portals, including e-commerce and m-commerce solutions.

For many developers, programming languages begin and end with Java.

While Java has undoubtedly performed well over the years, it must be doing many things right. It would be a mistake to think there is no language as good as Java.

Every language has strengths and weaknesses. Yes, even Java has a bunch of lacunae that get overlooked by programmers because of the truckload of benefits it brings to the table. As a programmer, it’s essential to compare Java with other programming languages so that you can choose the best language for a particular project.

This article compares Java to some other commonly used languages and tries to determine whether Java is the winner.

Java vs. Other Programming Languages (Python, Ruby, C++)

Python

Python is a high-level language that fully supports object-oriented programming. Java, on the other hand, is not a pure object-oriented language.

Python is a powerful, easy-to-use scripting language that excels as a “glue” language because it connects system components, whereas Java is characterized as a low-level implementation language.

One of the key differences between the two is that Python programs are shorter than Java programs. Let’s, for instance, see the example of ‘Hello World’:

‘Hello World’ in Java:

public class example{public static void main(String[] args){System.out.println(“hello world”);}}

‘Hello World’ in Python:

Print “Hello World”;

Python has rich built-in high-level data types and even supports dynamic typing, making it one of the preferred choices of newbie programmers, as they have to write less code. However, this is not the case with Java, as developers must define each variable’s type before using it.

Swift, Apple’s programming language created this year for iOS and OS X development, has some Python-inspired syntax. Many large organizations, such as Google, Yahoo, NASA, etc., use Python. If they can trust Python, you can too!

All said and done, Python does have some flaws. Python programs are generally expected to run slower than Java programs, making Java a favorable choice for enterprise-level application development. Moreover, Java has much better library support for some use cases than Python.

C++

Java was derived from C++. However, there are surprising differences between the two, as the objectives of both languages differ. C++ was designed mainly for systems programming and extending the C programming language, whereas Java was created initially to support network computing.

Java is faster than Python, but it runs significantly slower than C++.

If we compare the libraries of two languages, C++ standard libraries are robust and straightforward, providing containers and associative arrays, whereas Java has a powerful cross-platform library.

The other crucial difference is that garbage collection happens automatically in Java. However, there is no automatic garbage collection in C++; all objects must be manually destroyed through the code. There are pretty high chances of a developer forgetting to delete all objects at the end. This leads to an increase in the size and memory of the software, which can lead to an increase in cost.

Ruby

Ruby and Java have many similarities, beginning with the fact that both are object-oriented languages and strongly typed.

The main difference between the two programming languages lies in how the code is executed. Java code is first translated into virtual machine code, which runs faster than Ruby’s interpreted code.

Like Python, developers prefer Ruby over Java because a function implemented in Ruby requires fewer lines of code than in Java. This makes managing the code easier for Ruby On Rails Course developers.

Generally, high-traffic sites use Java rather than Ruby. A few years back, Twitter migrated to Java and Scala from Ruby.

Java and Ruby can be used together and complement each other. JRuby, which is written in Java, implements the Ruby programming language on top of the Java Virtual Machine.

C#

For the last few years, the development community has debated which language outperforms—Java or C#.

If security or performance is considered, both languages receive a similar score. However, Java has a comparative advantage over C# because it is a platform-independent language. It supports more operating systems than C# without recompiling code. On the other hand, C# is not quite platform-independent, as it can run on Windows and Mac OS-X but not Linux.

The two languages are pretty similar in syntax and programming style.

Developers should opt for a language that perfectly fits their project requirements. The focus should be on using a language that ensures a project can be developed easily and efficiently. For instance, if you are developing an application for a Windows desktop or Windows phone, then pick C#, but if you are developing for an Android phone, go with Java.

PHP

PHP is a server-side scripting language, whereas Java is a general-purpose language. These two languages are structurally different and mutually inclusive.

PHP is a weakly typed language, whereas Java is a strongly typed language. In PHP, a programmer must declare a data type for each variable and/or value. This may make PHP more attractive to programmers as it does not adhere to fixed standards like Java, but may complicate certain tasks.

Apart from the structural difference, a major difference between the two is that the JVM is restarted after every request in PHP, which can result in extra performance problems.

A programmer should choose PHP if they have little time to complete a project. إut should go for Java if the project emphasizes features like scalability, performance, and security.

CONCLUSION

After comparing Java with five languages, do we have a clear answer to whether Java is superior to all other languages?

The Answer is YES because it is a low-level language that lets you understand the basics by implementing the algorithms in the simplest possible form. At the same time, it is high-level enough to execute any task efficiently.

And no, everything in Java can be written in other languages (like C#), but the reverse is untrue.

Java has evolved a lot since its inception and holds the lead in many areas of software development. So, its survivability is not in doubt.

Die-hard Java folks are expected to stick to it for years! However, programmers should adopt a horse for courses policy using a programming language. The choice of a language should depend on their needs and requirements, not on its popularity.