Java has been one of the most popular programming languages for over two decades. However, there has been some debate recently over whether Java is losing popularity and being replaced by newer languages like Python and JavaScript. In this article, we’ll examine the current state of Java and try to determine if it is actually declining in usage.
What is Java?
Java is a general-purpose, object-oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems (later acquired by Oracle) and released in 1995. Some key features of Java include:
- Platform independence – Java code can run on any platform with a Java Virtual Machine (JVM). This portability is a major advantage of Java.
- Object-oriented – Java is based on objects and classes, allowing for modular and reusable code.
- Robust – Java has a garbage collector, exception handling, and other features for increased reliability.
- Secure – Java provides security features like sandboxing and access controls.
- Multi-threaded – Java supports concurrent execution of multiple parts of a program.
Java has been one of the most widely used programming languages for many years. It powers a huge number of applications, websites, and systems. Some major uses include:
- Android app development
- Desktop applications
- Web applications and application servers like Tomcat
- Big data systems like Hadoop
- High frequency trading systems
- Banking and financial software
- Scientific applications and research
- And many more!
The popularity of Java over time
Java has consistently been one of the most widely used programming languages for over two decades. Here is a look at its popularity over the years:
- Since its release in 1995, Java quickly became one of the most popular languages. It was designed to be easier to use than earlier languages like C++.
- In the 2000s, Java soared to immense popularity as the language of choice for web applications, enterprise software, and mobile apps.
- A 2010 survey showed that Java was the most popular language, used by 31% of developers. Other languages like C, C++, and PHP trailed behind.
- In recent years, Java has continued to be in the top 3 most popular languages, along with C and Python, although its share of overall usage has declined somewhat.
Here is a table showing Java’s ranking in the TIOBE Programming Community Index over the last 10+ years. The TIOBE index is one of the most well-known snapshots of language popularity.
| Year | Java Rank |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 3 |
As this table shows, Java was ranked #1 for many years, before dropping to #2 in 2020 and #3 more recently. Still, it remains firmly one of the top languages.
Is Java declining in popularity?
Based on the data we’ve examined, it does appear Java has declined somewhat in popularity from its peak in the 2000s and early 2010s. However, there are different perspectives on this:
- Java still enjoys immense popularity. Although it has dropped from its #1 ranking, it remains in the top 3 languages used. The raw number of Java developers has continued increasing.
- The percentage of overall usage for Java has declined. As new languages like Python have grown quickly, they have eaten into Java’s dominant share over time.
- Java may have declined in some specific areas, like cutting edge machine learning, but remains strong in enterprise software, web apps, and mobile development.
There are a few likely reasons contributing to Java’s small decline in popularity:
- Competition from newer languages like Python, JavaScript, and Go that excel in areas like scripting, web development, and cloud/DevOps.
- Java can feel verbose and low-level compared to modern languages with more compact code and high-level abstractions.
- The rise of frameworks and platforms like Node.js, Django, and React that increased productivity for web development compared to traditional Java EE.
Where Java is still going strong
While Java usage has dropped in some areas, it remains extremely popular and widely used in many domains and applications, including:
- Android apps – Java is the official language for Android app development. Given Android’s massive market share, Java skills are in high demand for mobile dev.
- Enterprise backend systems – Java dominates enterprise and corporate development, powering systems like application servers, microservices, banking software, etc.
- Big data ecosystems – Framework’s like Apache Hadoop, Spark, Kafka, Cassandra, and Elasticsearch that underpin big data pipelines are largely Java based.
- High performance systems – Java’s performance and low-level control still make it a popular choice for systems like high frequency trading platforms that require speed and reliability.
Additionally, large companies often have critical legacy systems and codebases written in Java that would be extremely costly to re-platform. Java’s great backwards compatibility helps here.
The JVM itself also continues growing in popularity as a platform for languages like Scala, Groovy, Kotlin and Clojure.
Will Java remain relevant?
Looking ahead, there are a few trends that lend confidence to Java remaining highly relevant for many more years:
- Cloud computing and microservices have become critical architectural approaches, and Java is well suited to building robust and scalable cloud-native applications.
- The functional programming paradigm has gained traction, and Java has adopted features like lambda expressions to accommodate this style while retaining OO strengths.
- Frameworks like Spring and Hibernate continue to evolve and improve enterprise Java development.
- Java remains the undisputed leader for Android development, and mobile shows no signs of slowing down.
Oracle’s stewardship of Java also continues to drive innovation. Recent major releases like Java 9, 10, 11 and beyond have added useful new features and performance improvements that help Java stay modern and competitive.
The huge existing codebase of Java applications creates inertia and staying power. Given Java’s maturity, libraries and ecosystem, it seems likely Java will retain a top position for a long time to come.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while Java is no longer used in as many greenfield applications and its overall popularity has marginally declined, it still remains one of the most widely used languages. Java continues to excel in core backend applications like enterprise systems, big data platforms, and mobile apps. Given its versatility, performance, ecosystem, and community, Java seems poised to maintain its relevance for many years to come despite challenges from newer languages.