Differences between Java and Javascript

Java and Javascript are two different programming languages. They share part of their name and the basis of their syntax, however in reality their differences are not noticeable.

We are telling various interesting issues and curiosities that serve as an introduction to it and we want to deal with one of the most typical associations that are made when hearing about Javascript. We are referring to relating it to another programming language, called Java, which does not have much to do with it.

Javascript was actually named like that because Netscape (the browser that launched Javascript), which was allied with the creators of Java at the time (Sun Microsystems), wanted to take advantage of the brand image and popularity of Java, as a maneuver to expand its new language. All in all, a product was created that had certain similarities, such as the syntax of the language or the name. It was made to understand that it was a little brother and specifically oriented to do things on the web pages, but it also made many people fall into the error of thinking that they are the same.

We want to make it clear that Javascript has nothing to do with Java, except for the collaboration agreement between the creators of both languages, as you have been able to read. They have always been completely different products that have no relationship to each other other than the identical syntax, although in truth, the syntax of both is inherited from another popular language called C.

Most notable differences between Java and Javascript

Some of the most representative differences between these two languages ​​are the following:

• Compiler. To program in Java we need a Development Kit and a compiler. However, Javascript is not a language that requires its programs to be compiled, rather these are interpreted by the browser when it reads the page.
• Object oriented. Java is an object-oriented programming language. (We’ll see what it means later, for those who don’t know yet). Javascript is a “multi-paradigm” language, it does not require object-oriented programming, although it does allow it. This means that we can program in Javascript without having to create classes, as is done in structured programming languages ​​such as C or Pascal.
• Purpose. Java in principle is much more powerful than Javascript, since it is a general purpose language. With Java you can make the most varied applications, however, with Javascript we can only write programs to be executed in web pages. Although to tell the truth, since the last decade Javascript has expanded so much that today we can use the language to make applications of all kinds, such as console programs, mobile applications, desktop applications, etc. Therefore, today it is Javascript, we could say that it is almost as powerful, or more, than Java is.
• static typing. Java is a strongly typed (also called statically typed) programming language. This means that when declaring a variable in Java we will have to indicate its type and it will not be able to change from one type to another throughout the execution of the program. For its part, Javascript does not have this feature, but is a dynamically typed language (or slightly typed) and we can put the information we want in a variable, regardless of its type. In addition, we can change the data type of a variable whenever we want.
• Open language / proprietary language

. Another important difference is that Javascript is based on an open standard, which does not have a particular owner and therefore any manufacturer can freely implement it in their systems. However, Java is a language owned by a company (currently Oracle), so it is directed with a particular and commercial focus.

• Other features. As we can see, Java is much more complex, although it is also more powerful and robust. Initially, Java has more features than Javascript and requires much more intense learning to master. Javascript is easy to learn, even for people with no programming experience, and it allows you to make programs quickly, obtaining quite attractive results with little code and effort.

The differences that separate Java from Javascript are therefore notable. They are also used for very different things. Java is more intended to make complex applications, oriented to the business world, or applications for Android phones. Javascript is intended to make applications less heavy, mainly oriented to the web.

We want to stress that currently the web approach to Javascript does not have to be considered unique. As we have said, it is possible to make almost any type of program using Javascript and in recent years it has been occupying more and more plots. Also, as new versions of the Javascript standard have been released, it has become more robust and suitable for large applications as well.

In short, there are so many things that separate Java and Javascript that we could say that they share little more than their name and a common base in their syntax, inherited from C. Their differences are important enough to distinguish them easily.