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Java vs. JavaScript: 5 Must-Know Facts
- JavaScript’s speed is faster than Java.
- JavaScript is mostly used for client-side scripts, while Java is used for server-side development.
- Java and JavaScript both got a lot of their popularity from inclusion in the Netscape browser.
- JavaScript supports dynamic typing and other features.
- Java runs on many operating systems due to a move away from platform-specific dependencies.
- JavaScript is weakly typed, while Java is strongly typed.
Unless you’re a programmer, you’ve probably wondered what Java and JavaScript are and why their names are so similar. It would be easy to assume that they are related programs created by the same developer(s), but nothing could be further from the truth.
Java was developed by James Gosling, a Canadian computer scientist who was employed by Sun Microsystems. It was initially released in May 1995. Java is an object-oriented, general-purpose programming language that allows programmers to write once, and run anywhere (WORA). In layman’s terms, this means that a developer can write and compile Java code once and run it on any platform that supports Java.
JavaScript leveraged Java’s name in an attempt to divert success and attention from the latter. JavaScript was developed by Brendan Eich, a Netscape programmer and co-founder of the Mozilla Foundation and the Mozilla Corporation. Launched in September 1995, JavaScript is a text-based programming language that allows developers to make webpages interactive.
Read on to learn more about the differences between these programming languages.
What Are Java and JavaScript?
Java and JavaScript have nearly identical names, both were first released in 1995, and both have early ties to the Netscape browser.
These, and superficial similarities in the code of both languages, have led to a lot of confusion over the last two decades about the differences between the two programming languages, with many wondering if there are speed or performance reasons to use one over the other.
In fact, though, Java and JavaScript have almost nothing in common with one another. Java is an object-oriented programming language that is primarily used to design standalone software applications that can run on many different operating systems.
JavaScript is a browser-based scripting language used to create client-side applications that run in a web browser.
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Java vs. JavaScript: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Item | Java | JavaScript |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Object-oriented programming language designed to create software that runs on as many platforms as possible | Scripting language designed to run in web applications and on websites, rather than standalone software |
| Name | Java | JavaScript |
| First release | 1994 (1.0a) May 23, 1995 (public release) | December 4, 1995 |
| Latest Stable Release | Java SE 17 (September 2021) | ECMAScript 2021 (June 2021) |
| Influential Developers | James Gosling, Mike Sheridan, Patrick Naughton | Brendan Eich |
| Open Project | Yes, Open Source | Yes, Open Standard |
Java: Complete History
The project that would become Java started development at Sun Microsystems in early 1991 as a way to enable interactive television programming.
James Gosling, the primary developer at SUN, focused on creating a programming language and environment that could run on as many platforms as possible without a heavy need for dependencies. Gosling also used syntax that is similar to C++, realizing that many programmers would already be able to code in that language.
The project went through several name changes, starting as Greentalk and then becoming Oak before settling on Java. The first launch of Java was in May of 1995 and an annual Sun Microsystems conference, where it was also announced that Netscape, a popular web browser, would support the technology.
As a result, web browser uses of Java which required a Java “applet” to run became very popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
JavaScript: An Early Web Star with a Confusing Name
Much like Java, JavaScript’s creation also has its origins in the mid-1990s and has ties to Netscape. There, however, the similarities end. In early 1995, Brandon Eich began work at Netscape on a project to implement a scripting language called Scheme that would run directly in the browser.
After Netscape announced its collaboration with Sun Microsystems on implementing Java, the project shifted slightly and Eich was tasked with writing a new scripting language, instead. The result was JavaScript, designed and written from scratch in a mere ten days in May of 1995.
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Java Today
In 2006, Java was released as open source software. In 2011, Oracle acquired Sun and took on what they describe as the “stewardship” of Java. As a result of changes in web browsers and development at Oracle, Java today has shifted almost entirely away from use in browsers and the web.
Instead, most uses of Java take place standalone applications written in the Java runtime environment (JRE), an IDE that has more than 850 million installations on computers.
Although many falsely think Java is dead due to its removal from browsers, the truth is that Java is still a popular language for the same reasons Gosling had in mind when he designed it in the early 1990s.
The Changing Face of JavaScript
After its release in 1995, JavaScript rapidly gained in popularity. Its rise has continued in the 25+ years since, and JavaScript is used on nearly 97% of all websites today. Its increasing presence has been accompanied by continuing development, primarily through the ECMAScript language specification.
This specification has been maintained by ECMA International since 1996 and has been an ISO standard since 1998. ECMAScript defines the qualities of JavaScript and other scripting languages, including JScript.
Java vs. JavaScript: Which One Should I Use?
The question of whether to use Java or JavaScript is a common one. Many wonder about the performance and speed tradeoffs or ask if it is easier to code in one language or the other. In reality, the way to figure out the answer to this question is to determine what you’re trying to do.
If you are writing a standalone piece of software and want it to run independently of an operating system, Java is your best choice. On the other hand, if you are trying to write a lightweight plugin that runs in a web browser, you will almost certainly want to use JavaScript.
