What is Java?
Java is a multi-platform, object-oriented, and network-centric, programming language. It is among the most used programming language. It also used as a computing platform, and it was first released by Sun Microsystem in 1995. It was later acquired by Oracle Corporation.
What is Python?
Python is a high-level object-oriented programming language. It has built-in data structures, combined with dynamic binding and typing, which makes it an ideal choice for rapid application development. Python also offers support for modules and packages, which allows system modularity and code reuse.
KEY DIFFERENCES
- Java is a compiled+ interpreted Language whereas Python is an Interpreted Language
- Java is statically typed whereas Python is dynamically typed
- Java has a complex learning curve whereas Python is easy to learn and use
- Java is a multi-platform, object-oriented, and network-centric, programming language whereas Python is a high-level object-oriented programming language.
- Java takes 10 lines of code to read from a file while Python only needs 2 lines of code.
- Java language uses curly braces to define the beginning and end of each function and class definition, whereas Python uses indentation to separate code into separate blocks.
- In Java, multiple inheritances is partially done through interfaces, whereas Python supports both single and multiple inheritances.
- Java offers limited string related functions, whereas Python offers lots of string related functions.
- Java program can run on any computer or mobile device which is able to run the Java virtual machine (JVM) while Python programs need an interpreter installed on the target machine to translate Python code. Compared to Java, Python is less portable.
- Java is best for Desktop GUI apps, Embed Systems, Web application services, whereas Python is excellent for scientific and numeric computing, Machine learning apps,more.
- Java offers stable connectivity, while Python offers weak connectivity.
Who uses Python & Java?
Python is often used with new programmers or junior developers entering a data science role. The big machine learning libraries, TensorFlow and pyTorch, are both written in Python.
Python has excellent data processing libraries with Pandas and Dask, and good data visualization capabilities with packages such as Matplotlib and Seaborn.
Java is used a lot for web development. It is more common among senior-level programmers. It allows for asynchronous programming, and has a decent Natural Language Processing community.
Both languages can be used in API interactions and for machine learning. Java is better developed for building web applications. Python’s Flask library is still only able to build the basics to a Python-based UI but is great for creating a Python back-end with an API endpoint.
Python v/s Java in code
Syntax of PYTHON
Print ‘hello world’
Syntax of JAVA
public class java {
public static void main(String args[]) {
System.out.println(“Hello World”);
}
}
Features of Java
Here are the important features of Java.
- Write code once and run it on almost any computing platform
- It is designed for building object-oriented applications.
- It is a multithreaded language with automatic memory management
- Facilitates distributed computing as its network-centric
Features of Python
Here, are important features of Python
- Easy to learn, read, and maintain
- It can run on various hardware platforms & using the same interface.
- You can include low-level modules to the Python interpreter.
- Python offers an ideal structure and support for large programs.
- Python offers support for automatic garbage collection.
- It supports an interactive mode of testing and debugging.
- It offers high-level dynamic data types and also supports dynamic type checking.
- Python language can be integrated with Java, C, and C++ programming code.
Disadvantages of Java
- JIT compiler makes the program comparatively slow.
- Java has high memory and processing requirements. Therefore, hardware cost increases.
- It does not provide support for low-level programming constructs like pointers.
- You don’t have any control over garbage collection as Java does not offer functions like delete(), free().
Disadvantages of Python
Here, are cons/drawback of using Python language
- Used in fewer platforms.
- Python is interpreted, so it’s much slower than its counterparts.
- Weak in mobile computing, hence not used in app development
- Science Python is dynamic, more errors show up at run-time
- Underdeveloped and primitive database access layer
- Absence of commercial support
Source: BMC
Difference between Java and Python
Parameter | Java | Python |
Compilation | Java is a Compiled Language | Python is an Interpreted Language |
Static or Dynamic | Java is statically typed | Python is dynamically typed |
String operations | Offers limited string related functions. | It offers lots of string related functions. |
Learning curve | Complex learning curve | Easy to learn and use |
Multiple inheritances | Multiple inheritances is partially done through interfaces. | It offers both single and multiple inheritances. |
Braces vs. Indentation | It uses curly braces to define the beginning and end of each function and class definition. | Python uses indentation to separate code into code blocks. |
Speed | Java program runs slowly compared to Python. | Python programs run faster than Java. |
Portability | Any computer or mobile device which is able to run the Java virtual machine can run a Java application | Python programs need an interpreter installed on the target machine to translate Python code. Compared to Java, Python is less portable. |
Read file | Java takes 10 lines of code to read from a file in Java. | Python only needs 2 lines of code. |
Architecture | Java Virtual Machine provides the runtime environment to execute the code and convert bytecode into machine language. | For Python, the interpreter translates source code into machine-independent bytecode. |
Backend Frameworks | Spring, Blade | Django, Flask |
Machine Learning Libraries | Weka, Mallet, Deeplearning4j, MOA | Tensorflow. Pytorch. |
Game Development Engines | JMonkeyEngine | Cocos. Panda3d |
Famous companies using this technology | Airbnb, Netflix, Spotify, Instagram. | Uber, Technologies, Dropbox, Google. |
Best features | Great libraries Widely used Excellent tooling Huge amount of documentation available. | Readable code Rapid development Beautiful code |
Best use for | Java is best for Desktop GUI apps, Embed Systems, Web application services, etc. | Python is excellent for scientific and numeric computing, Machine learning apps, more. |
Database support | Java offers stable connectivity | Python offers weak connectivity. |
Code example | class A { public static void main(String args[]){ System.out.println(“Hello World”); } } | Hello World in Python: print “hello world”; |
TIOBE Rating | 1 | 3 |
Companies using it | Docker, Android SDK, Spring Boot, Senty,etc. | Django, Flask, Pycharm, CircleCI, etc. |
Salaries | The average salary for a Java Developer is $103,464 per year in the United States. | The average salary for a Python Developer is $118,626 per year in the United States. |
Google Trends
The trend is likely caused because of Python’s great use for experimentation, and Java’s better use for production code. There is more experimentation than production code.
Java is a statically typed and compiled language, and Python is a dynamically typed and interpreted language. This single difference makes Java faster at runtime and easier to debug, but Python is easier to use and easier to read.
Python has gained popularity, in large part, due to its communicativity; people just grasp it easier. With it, the libraries for Python are immense, so a new programmer will not have to start from scratch. Java is old and still widely used, so it also has a lot of libraries and a community for support.
Java or Python: Who is the best?
Python is an ideal choice for beginners as the language is more intuitive, and its syntax is very much similar to the English language. Its open-source nature facilitates a slew of new tools that improve it.
On the other hand, Java is a general-purpose programming language that was designed with a specific goal of allowing developers to write once run anywhere.
Selection one language among these ultimately comes down to the nature and the cost of the development project.
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