If we take into consideration the ”official” definitions, we can conclude that when it comes to Java vs JavaScript, the main difference is that JavaScript is an OOP programming script and Java is an OOP programming language.
But, if we dig deeper, it’s valuable to mention that JavaScript code is written entirely in text, while Java has to be compiled. Furthermore, they are also used for different purposes, showing that they are not so similar after all. Still, to hire Java developers or anyone else, first, you have to see what the benefits are.
Therefore, we will address the Java vs. JavaScript situation by seeing the main differences between these two, so let’s start right away.
Table of Contents
1. Strongly and Dynamically Typed
It is essential to mention that even before you hire someone to start your journey, you have to protect your business even more nowadays, as cybersecurity is vital. That being said, let’s move on to the first main difference in the Java vs. JavaScript ”battle”.
Java locks all variables into a specific type, and if mismatches happen, you are not allowed to execute the code until the issue is fixed. This situation asks for excellent coding habits and requires that intentions are oriented through any project in Java; therefore, a developer can become better and better.
The only disadvantage is that a good amount of ceremony surrounds strong typing, and because new properties and methods are public, they have to be part of the public interface, which means they need to be defined in the inheritance tree.
As for dynamic typing in JavaScript, the developer is allowed to define objects, data structures, variables, and other aspects at the place where they need them. That’s why coding in JavaScript asks for precarious-looking code but provides the developer to put everything in place.
Still, the disadvantage of dynamic typing is not knowing what the variable contains at any time, and if some wrong content is assigned to a variable, one can not discover it until a nonsensical line is being executed. There are ways to remedy this challenge, but this asks for an overhead that is not an issue when it comes to strongly typed languages.
2. Compiled and Interpreted
Java is a compiled language that checks the code of the whole project while converting scribbles into a byte, which the JVM reads. That’s why it catches a significant number of syntactical errors and tells developers at the compile time.
After that, it operates with a compressed package of bytes like WAR or JAR, and the package can be executed by a virtual machine that can open it, load it in memory, find a point to enter, and bring it to somebody’s server or desktop.
Of course, this concept does not protect from logic errors in programming, but the developer at least has a chance to correct all the syntactical errors exceptionally quickly. Furthermore, Java doesn’t essentially protect the code, but there are tools to protect the output outlined in different resources online.
On the other side is JavaScript, an interpreted language that can read through the source code and interpret it simultaneously. These languages have become fast, so the performance from the moment of interpretation isn’t as observable, which is a great advantage.
Still, this makes many various solutions and manipulations of the existing code base; therefore, it requires a great deal of discipline and organization to build and maintain large projects, which can be challenging.
And the point where the Java vs. JavaScript debate gets even more interesting is the security of intellectual property. As we mentioned above, with Java, there are some ways to be effective, whereas, with JavaScript, there isn’t a truly great way to have a code that’s both inaccessible and yet executable.
Some packages can help, but none of them will help entirely. This happens because the interpreter has to read the code at the same time as execution.
3. Usage of Both Sides
Finally, but importantly, the aspect that we’ll also see in this Java vs. JavaScript discussion is the usage of both sides. It is best to hire some developers when it comes to Java, but if you want to learn a little more, you can also learn about Java before you start finding people who know the job well.
Nevertheless, the critical element that shows how effective Java is is the companies that use it worldwide. Some of them include the following ones:
- Google – It uses Java in a lot of their apps
- Airbnb – In most cases, for back-end development
- Twitter – In order to gain a smooth digital interface
- Uber – It was actually built on Java
- PayPal – It became the first significant payment platform that used Java
As you can see, these and many more top-rated companies use Java as their preferred choice, which again shows how effective it can be for your business as well.
And as for JavaScript, it is a disrupter that shows up in different places. And even though it was made for the client-side app needs, it found its way to the desktop and server because of Node.js.
Various mobile hybrid app frameworks have been made, cross-platform, and can work on multiple mobile devices without recompiling. Also, various game engines like Bablyno or Kiwi utilize JavaScript in order to customize their gameplay.
Conclusion
Nevertheless, it is fair to say that Java is the better choice, especially for beginners, but it can be even more effective when an experienced developer uses it. Therefore, hiring a Java developer who knows the job is the perfect choice for achieving the desired results.