The naming of these two languages is the reason behind the massive confusion between the two languages, i.e., Java and JavaScript. Just because JavaScript shares the word, Java non-tech people quickly assume Java to be a superset of JavaScript. The truth is very far from this assumption. While the fact remains that the development of both of these languages had something in common when Netscape was the best available tool to surf the World Wide Web.
However, since that time, these two languages have separated from each other and now have become two very different entities. Both Java and JavaScript have established their unique identities in the tech world, making both of these languages crucial to master their respective domains. It is a running joke in the tech community that Java and JavaScript’s relationship is that of ham and hamster (making them two very different things).
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If the question, what is the difference between java and javascript? Had been posted about five years ago, the answer to it would have been straightforward. Java was considered to be a general language with various and varied applications, whereas JavaScript was the language that enabled Web apps and Websites to be more responsive and dynamic.
The comparison of java vs. javascript would be very different in the context of the 21st century. The main reason which makes the comparison complicated is that JavaScript has matured a lot as a language and is no longer limited to just being used in web technologies.
Before we answer the question, what is the difference between java and javascript? In the modern context, we must first understand both of these languages intricately in this paradigm.
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Java
Java is a programming language, and this bit should be evident by now. Java was invented rather than created by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems. The development of Java was not easy; however, it took the group closer to about four years to make a capable language. Java, which saw the daylight in the year 1995, and since then has taken the entire world by storm.
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You can see the internet to be filled to the brim with apps and technologies which are based out of Java. Even the android operating system, which is present on almost every modern-day smartphone, also has its roots in Java. Credit has to go to Java to make our lives much more straightforward. Oracle is the proud owner of Java in the modern-day.
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JavaScript
When the internet was still taking its baby steps, and it was far from the behemoth, we know it was just two leading web browsers today. The entire web race belonged to Internet Explorer and Netscape navigator. In merely ten days, a developer who goes by the name of Brendan Eich saw the need for a language that can directly talk with the browser. This language was created to accommodate the user’s interaction with the web browsers and websites.
LiveScript’s language was invented with the capability to instruct the browser directly whenever any user input was found. The development of this new language LiveScript took just about ten days for the developer, and soon he integrated this new language with the Netscape navigator.
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Livescipt enabled the browser to interpret the user and the commands which users send. It eliminated the need to re-compile or compile the code and made the use of plugins for this task completely obsolete. This language of LiveScript was created at the time when another programming language, which goes by the name of Java, was gaining popularity.
To ride on the java wave and gain some momentum in a marketing ploy, which leads to all this confusion, the developer re-named this language to what we know now as JavaScript.
Must Read: Javascript Project Ideas & Topics
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Java vs. JavaScript
The languages of Java and JavaScript were written in a very different manner. Both of these languages differ vastly in the things they are capable of doing. In the table below, you will find a comprehensive comparison of Java vs JavaScript:
| JAVA | JAVASCRIPT |
| Java is a stringent language. The language’s syntax must be strictly followed if you want the program to run like you want it to run. A straightforward example would be the declaration of variables. In Java, you will have to declare the type of a variable before using them in your program. The errors and the kind that the variable is of would be checked at the program’s compilation time. | JavaScript differs massively from Java in this regard. You can type a much more flexible code in this language. The syntax and the rules you would have to follow while writing the JavaScript code are very relaxed when you compare it with a language like Java. |
| Java follows the OOPS (Object Oriented Programming) concepts and is an OOP language. | JavaScript, on the other hand, is only an object-based language capable of writing scripts. |
| The code which is written in Java can be made to run anywhere. You can even run the java code in any virtual environment or even the web browser. | The code you write in the language of JavaScript was only capable of running in the web browser. But, now, with the addition of Node.js, JavaScript can also run on servers handling the backend as well as frontend. |
| For the creation of any objects in the Java programming language, you will have to create classes. Without creating classes, no program can be made to run in Java. | The objects in JavaScript are based on a prototype. |
| Any program written in java would have the extension of “.Java”. This code that you have written in Java would be executed in a JVM. | The file extension of any program written in JavaScript is .js, and it can be interpreted in almost every web browser. However, to compile and run a JavaScript code, the browser must have the JavaScript interpreter. |
| Java is a fully fleshed out language that has its own footing. | JavaScript is present on every web page. It works hand in hand with the code written in HTML. |
| To run a Java code, you will need more memory. | The JavaScript code is very light because it has to run in a web browser. |
Also Read: JavaScript vs JQuery: Difference Between JavaScript and JQuery
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Q1. Where is JavaScript used in real life?
Q2. Which one is more used between Python and JavaScript?
Both Python and JavaScript are hugely popular programming languages. Basically, JavaScript is a scripting language that enhances the ease of use of web pages by automating websites and various processes within apps. On the other hand, Python is a programming language based on object-oriented principles. Both languages have their unique pros and cons when it comes to their uses. Both JavaScript and Python are extensively employed in developing ERP applications and website development. However, Python is preferred in emerging technological fields like AI, ML, and data analytics. But JavaScript is more extensively used since it has been around for a longer time and is more familiar with programmers.
Q3. How is a programmer different from a hacker?
A programmer is an individual who applies their programming language skills to develop software products and propose technological solutions. Whether it is using scripting languages for basic program development or employing complex coding to build AI services – a programmer's tasks involves excellent versatility. A programmer who is trained formally becomes a developer. A hacker is an individual who makes things work their way by programming computers. This also includes interfering with existing things or trying to break open software programs and modify them stealthily to serve some specific interests that are often toxic. All developers and hackers are actually programmers.
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