Is learning Java and becoming a Java software programmer viable in 2022? Which skills do you need to learn to become a good Java programmer? If these questions are running through your mind, this article will clear all your doubts.
A recent study has shown that nearly 64.96% of programmers use JavaScript, and around 35.35% use Java as their go-to programming language in 2021. These results are not astonishing, considering the functionality Java provides to its users. Let’s briefly look at what Java is and what features it provides that make it so popular.
Table of Contents
What is Java?
Java is a programming language released by Sun Microsystems in 1995. It was initially developed to be a language used to code various home appliances. We can assume that this project was very visionary, considering how much popularity the Internet of Things (IoT) has gained over the years. Although this was not what made Java software development so popular instead, a feature called applets did. As the web started getting popular in the 90’s Java’s applets, let programmers create web apps that were not local compiler dependent and could run on any device via Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Java definitely justified their ad slogan, “write once, run anywhere.”
Features
Let’s briefly look at some of the features that Java offers:
Object-Oriented
The programs in Java are divided into objects making it easy to implement features like inheritance, polymorphism, hiding, etc.
Secure
Java provides security features that help programmers develop systems that are virus and tamper-free. Public-key encryption is one such feature.
Architecturally Neutral
With the integration of the Java runtime system, the Java compiler creates an architecturally neutral object file format, making the compiled code executable on a wide range of processors.
Multi Thread Handling
It is possible to build programs that can execute multiple tasks simultaneously using Java’s multithreaded functionality. Developers can use this design aspect to create interactive applications that run smoothly.
High Performance
Java offering real-time compilers made the execution time of programs speedy.
Dynamic
Java is meant to adapt to a changing environment; it is considered more dynamic than C or C++. Java programs can store a large quantity of runtime data that can be used to verify and resolve object accesses in real-time.
There are many more features offered in Java application development but for now, let’s have a look at the 5 skills that you need to learn to be a top-notch Java software programmer in 2022.
5 Java Skills That You Need to Learn In 2022
While Java programming is not very difficult to learn, considering you have basic knowledge of OOP, some advanced skills are in high demand in 2022. Let’s have a look:
Blockchain
A blockchain is a digital log of transactions that are copied and distributed throughout the blockchain’s whole network of computer systems. Each block on the chain comprises many transactions, and whenever a new transaction takes place on the blockchain, a copy of that transaction is put to each participant’s ledger. Java is considered to be the go-to programming language in the Enterprise space, especially in Ethereum blockchains.
AI and Machine Learning
In Artificial Intelligence and machine learning programming, Java is generally used to create search algorithms, genetic programming, multi-robot systems, and neural networks.
The scalability and object-orientedness of Java are essential features for AI applications. Java is transparent, portable, and maintainable thanks to virtual machine technology. It will allow you to create a single software version that will run on all Java-supported platforms.
As artificial intelligence is inextricably linked to algorithms, Java in AI programming allows you to design a variety of algorithms. A huge community of developers supports Java, allowing a wide range of algorithms to be built quickly.
Android App Development
Android platform lets developers control and manage Android devices by developing apps written in Java. The Android SDK and Java programming language can be used to create Android applications. As a result, knowledge of the fundamentals of the Java programming language is required to program on the Android platform.
Java ME is the mobile variant of the Java programming language. The Java Micro Edition provides a versatile and secure environment for developing and executing apps that are targeted at mobile and embedded applications.
JavaScript Frameworks
Learning advanced Java frameworks such as Angular, Node.js, React, etc., can prove to be a boon for your career. In today’s environment, having a solid understanding of different Java frameworks is critical. They enable you to construct both prototype and real-world projects in a short amount of time. If you work in the startup world, you’ll be expected to whip up something cool in no time, which is where framework expertise comes in handy.
Microservices
It is an architectural style in which a single application is developed as a collection of small services. Each service executes in its own process flow. The communication between the services and, in other cases, between services and clients takes place using simple protocols like HTTP or messaging. There are multiple reasons you should consider learning this skill, like high-paying jobs, use of fewer resources in the Java software development process, high-quality code, granular scaling, and much more.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed the 5 skills that you should learn as a Java software programmer in 2022. Java is a technology that has constantly adapted to the needs of the time. A new version of Java is released every six months or so. Businesses Hire Java Developers that stay up with this constantly evolving language and supplement their skill sets with complementing technologies get the best jobs. So, keep learning and keep evolving.
Author Bio
Arjun Solanki is a Business Growth Strategist at a Leading Software Development Company. He has experience in developing and executing digital strategies for large global brands in a variety of business verticals. Apart from working on a long-lasting relationship with customers and boosting business revenue, he is also interested in sharing my knowledge on various technologies and their influence on businesses through effective blog posts and article writing.
