Top 10 Things You Didn’t Know About JAVA

Java is one of the most famous and widely used programming languages out there. Millions of devices around the world use it because it is readable and straightforward. Even though Java enjoys such wild popularity, there are some interesting Java facts that you probably did not know about. Here are some things that not many developers are aware of, and you can use to impress your friends and coworkers.

Interesting Facts About Java

1. Its Original Name Was OAK

While it might be difficult to imagine, but Java initially was called a much different name. The creator of Java, James Gosling, who was working for Sun Microsystems at the time, developed a new language for creating programs. He named it after the oak tree that he saw outside his office window. Later on, the name was changed to Java.

2. Minecraft Was First Written in Java

Minecraft is one of the most popular video games of all time. Its creator, Notch, first wrote the game in Java simply because it was the programming language that he was comfortable using. After Minecraft was acquired by Microsoft, its new owner released a version in C++.

3. It Teaches You to Think Like a Programmer

There is a reason why most aspiring programmers start out by learning Java. While its syntax might be complicated at times, it teaches students to start thinking like programmers. In other words, it illustrates the types of problem-solving skills that will be useful to students even when they go on to learning more complicated languages.

4. It’s Dynamic

One of the most interesting Java unknown facts is just how dynamic it is. This can be divided into two categories: Java instrumentations and Java reflections. The first category enables you to modify already compiled classes which will come in handy if you decide to change the code at run time. Open-source libraries such as AspectJ, ASM, and many others allow for Java instrumentations. Reflection enables you to visit the private variable of a class. All of this is very helpful when programming software.

5. The Mascot’s Name is “Duke”

If you are familiar with the movie “Shrek,” then you have seen the work of Joe Palrang. However, one can argue that he is more famous for “The Duke” than for Shrek because this mascot is prominently displayed in all JavaOne conferences which are very popular among developers.

6. It was All an Accident

We mentioned earlier how James Gosling, the creator of Java, initially gave it a much different name. But it is even more humorous that the invention of the language itself was an accident. James Gosling, together with his team, was cleaning up C++ and ended up with an entirely new language as a result. On the other hand, we should not be too surprised since many devices that we use today such as the microwave, ink-jet printer, x-ray images, and many others have also been invented by accident.

7. The Popularity of Java

We all know that Java is extremely popular, but can we quantify it? First of all, there are more than 9 million Java developers in the world, and it gets downloaded more than a billion times each year.

8. The Odds of Getting a Job are High

Since Java is so popular, there is an increasing demand for programmers who are proficient with this language. In fact, according to one of the most popular job search sites out there, indeed.com, Java is the top language for new job postings. In fact, there were more than 60,000 vacancies for Java developers last year.

9. The Word “Final” is Ambiguous

There are four meaning of the word “Final” in Java:

• Final Field – denotes a constant field
• Final Class – meaning the class is not extendable
• Final Variable – the variable cannot be adjusted after it is assigned
• Final Method – Method cannot be overridden

10. There are Lots of Java Platforms

Java Platforms include:

• Java Standard Edition – has all of the basic functionalities and libraries already included.
• Java Enterprise Edition – includes all the various frameworks and libraries large businesses need to build an app.
• Java Micro Edition – includes frameworks and libraries for creating apps for devices like smartphones and tablets.
• Java FX – includes graphics libraries to create rich apps that offer consistent performance across platforms.

Just like there are plenty of cool things to do with Java, there are also lots of things you probably did not know about. Even though on your career path you will only need the skills and knowledge regarding things to code in Java, these are some interesting facts that you can take with you and wow your friends. Java was created way back in 1995, making it one of the oldest programming languages out there. It is interesting to chronicle its progression from humble beginnings to one of the most widely used programming languages in the world. It has a very rich history, which means that it is just as exciting to learn about as the language itself. Other programming languages that are contemporaries of Java such as Python and Visual Basic were developed specifically for programming purposes. So it’s interesting to dig deeper about how Java came up and why such popularity that has remained consistent over the course of more than 20 years.