Differences Between Java and Javascript
Java vs. JavaScript is, in truth, two distinct JavaScript programming languages. Java and JavaScript share a brief history during the early Netscape days of the internet, which explains similar names. However, the two have since wildly diverged. A common joke among programmers today is that Java vs. JavaScript is as identical as ham and hamster. But jokes and trivialities aside, this article will make a more detailed comparison of the JavaScript programming languages, exploring Java and JavaScript differences and, yes, Java vs. JavaScript have similarities too.
Around five or more years ago, the difference between Java and JavaScript would be easy to summarize. Java is a general-purpose language, while JavaScript programming languages are specific for creating animated and interactive elements for websites. Today, the case is different. Both Java vs. JavaScript has developed and matured rapidly in the past few years. From a web development perspective, here are the difference between Java and JavaScript.
Java vs JavaScript Infographics
Below are the top 5 comparisons of Java vs JavaScript:
Java vs Javascript Similarities
Both Java and JavaScript are browser-compatible:
As mentioned before, JavaScript programming languages have been site-specific. In its current incarnation, it runs on most modern browsers, and several websites make use of this to improve their user experience. Java applets are also supported to some extent, but their popularity has been on a decline, largely due to security and compatibility issues. Most website visitors have JavaScript enabled and Java applets disabled by default, especially mobile browsers.
Both Java and JavaScript are server-compatible:
Java has been a huge part of web application servers such as Apache Tomcat, JBoss, and WebSphere. These servers ran a big part of web applications seen on public sites and were protected by corporate firewalls. JavaScript, on the other hand, has been experimented with on the server side for a while. With Node.JS growing in popularity, more JavaScript-coded application servers have been picking up use.
Both Java and JavaScript have frameworks and libraries.
Frameworks and libraries are there to help programmers. They offer them access to purpose-specific and general-purpose code that is reusable for different products. When used well, frameworks and libraries can reduce development time significantly. Both Java and javascript have reached a stage of maturity at which they have highly developed and a wide range of frameworks and library options available for various scenarios.
Java and Javascript Differences
1. Execution style
A key difference between Java and JavaScript is how they are executed. Java code is generally written in an Integrated Development Environment or IDE and compiled to bytecode that can be run by a Java Virtual Machine but is unreadable to humans. On the other hand, JavaScript is executed normally by a JavaScript engine using the same syntax that it was written in, which means that they are readable at least in theory. In reality, JavaScript files sent online are typically compressed to a barely legible format. The readability here is an important distinction because making changes in a Java IDE can require several steps and specialized software for compiling and deploying the changes. JavaScript, however, can be edited with a simple text editor.
2. Community influence
The programming community has played a huge influence on both. The Java Community Process is used by Java to accept input on future inclusions in the languages through Java Specification Requests. Java’s current owner, Oracle, uses these requests to work on the next official implementation of the language. Meanwhile, JavaScript is a derivative of the language ECMAScript, which is defined by the non-profit standards organization, European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA). To be honest, programming languages need to have an open updating process in order to prevent them from becoming proprietary and obsolete.
3. Writing and deployment
Here is a look at another key difference between Java and JavaScript. Java is designed specifically for developers to write down code once and then deploy it in whatever operating system they choose without the need to make changes. This does work as designed in general, but there can be some hiccups in the middle, depending on the coding and the JVM. JavaScript, meanwhile, is more susceptible to changes in execution environments, even though it follows the open ECMAScript standard. This can be frustrating for developers, but the good thing is that the program can query the environment on its own to determine the branch of code that needs to run for that environment.
4. Debugging the difference between Java and JavaScript
Java is compiled before it is run, so any structural problems within the code are made apparent right then and there. Once running, IDEs can help the developer attach to the JVM for real-time debugging. JavaScript, on the other hand, is not compiled in the same way since it removes bugs in real-time, because of which JavaScript’s debugging capabilities are highly dependent on the widely varying executive environment.
5. The Higher level difference between Java and JavaScript
Now it’s time to step it up a notch and look at the higher-level differences. There are several other comparisons that can be made with respect to their popularity, technical specs, and performance. Assuming that you have a good understanding of Java and at least a basic understanding of JavaScript, how would you explain the difference between both languages? Here are some higher-level differences between Java and JavaScript:
6. Programming or scripting
Java is an OOP programing language creating applications that run in a browser or virtual machine, requiring code compilation. On the other hand, JavaScript is an OOP scripting language running on a browser alone and not creating standalone applications. It commonly forms part of HTML, enabling interactivity in websites that are not possible with just HTML.
7. Inheritance
Java has instances and classes as separate concepts of inheritance. For inheritance, you need to use the base class to form a new class and then use this new class to produce derived instances. While JavaScript is an object-oriented language like Java, it does not use classes. You do not define classes or create objects from them. In fact, JavaScript is not class-based but prototype-based. For inheritance, you can use any object instance for a prototype.
8. Differences in the lineage
As mentioned earlier, both these languages have somewhat of a shared history, but there are differences. James Gosling of Sun Microsystems created Java, while Netscape developed JavaScript, first known as LiveScript. JavaScript was developed as a very loosely based version of Java in that both are object-oriented languages, and both share similar programming structures. However, JavaScript has had a simpler and smaller set of commands than Java.
9. Other Technical Differences
While Java vs JavaScript has the same object-oriented approach, the former can stand on its own, and the latter has to be placed within an HTML document for function primarily. Java is the more complicated and larger language here, creating standalone applications. Java applets are fully contained programs, while JavaScript is the text that is processed and interpreted by the browser. However, today’s web apps are blurring the line between conventional desktop applications and those applications built using conventional web technologies like CSS, HTML, and JavaScript.
10. Final End-User Presentation
Another key difference is how the language is presented to the final end-user. Java has to be compiled in machine language. As mentioned before, the language has to be compiled before being sent out, which involves changing the text code into a smaller language that is formatted for being interpreted as a set program by the computer. Nothing can be added or removed from the program at this point without destroying it entirely. Meanwhile, JavaScript is text-based, in that you can write it to the HTML document, and the document is directly run through a browser without compiling. You can change it after it runs time and time again. Once Java is compiled, you cannot change it. You can still change the original text and then compile it again.
Why Choose JavaScript?
As you can see, Java is highly independent of HTML, while JavaScript is almost entirely dependent on it. Which is the better language for better web applications? Well, the answer can vary from programmer to programmer, with some preferring JavaScript’s on-the-fly coding abilities and some preferring Java’s wider capabilities and strengths.
One of the biggest strengths that JavaScript has going for it is that it can be understood by humans. This makes coding on JavaScript much easier and makes the language more robust too. It also gives a huge benefit over Java in terms of speed. You can create web page events and elements faster using JavaScript than with Java. Many of JavaScript’s commands are also termed Event Handlers. These commands are directly embedded into existing HTML commands.
Conclusion
So, now that you know the few similarities and differences between Java vs JavaScript, the final question is: which one should you opt for? The answer to this is: whichever language better fits your needs. Neither language is superior to the other. JavaScript and applets are most often offered as fully functional items on the internet. This means that you can simply get them from the internet and use them on your own page, so long as you have the required permission. There are, in fact, several websites that specialize in providing applets and JavaScript. They do nothing else. For applets, Gamelan.com is one of the more popular providers. Javascripts.com is another common option for JavaScript scripts, with over 2,300 ones available, all for free.
