Is Java a good first language to learn? We analyze the prospects and talk about pitfalls

Which programming language should you start learning coding with? This is a canonical question that has been plaguing future coders for a long time. That is, from about the 90s of the last century “there” (in the West) and from the mid-late 2000s “here” (in domestic spaces). In short, since programming began to reach the masses, this profession has begun to gain popularity. Even a superficial study of the topic is enough to find out that now the two most popular programming languages ​​for web development are Java and Python. Both are very powerful languages ​​with an extensive arsenal of capabilities tailored to solve different problems. One thing to remember is that Java and Python are different from each other and also have their own strengths and weaknesses. However, it probably doesn’t make sense to maintain a false intrigue, so here’s a big spoiler: in our opinion, Java is the best option for learning as a first programming language. But now we can talk in more detail about why this is so, fortunately there are enough reasons.

1. Java is the most popular programming language in every way

In terms of popularity and ubiquity, Java easily outshines everyone else, even the C language, which is almost 50 years old. After all, Java is now used everywhere: on desktops, on mobile platforms, in smart cars, smart homes, and even in kettles and irons, which have also become thoroughly smart along with other household appliances. Today there are almost 8 million Java programmers around the world. It is because of such a large talent base that many organizations are choosing to use this language for new developments. Despite the fact that there are other popular languages ​​in programming, Java remains a universally recognized leader and is not yet going to give up its position. According to the TIOBE Index, Java is the most popular language in the world with 16%, ahead of C and Python.

2. Knowledge of Java provides many job opportunities

For the same reason, Java is ahead of all others in terms of the number of employment options, and this is critically important for beginners, because it allows you to find a job after mastering the basic capabilities of the language, and progress further in Java, already receiving a stable payment for your work. At the same time, the widespread use of Java also provides Java developers with a lot of opportunities for career growth and transition to higher managerial positions. By the way, it is interesting to note that, despite the abundance of such opportunities, most professional Java coders are not ready to exchange this profession for any other. According to a study by the popular job search engine Indeed, Java developers showed the lowest likelihood of changing their profession in the world - only 8%. This suggests that Java is an excellent foundation for a long and financially stable career. But that's not all. The popularity of Java, and most importantly, the number of vacancies for specialists in this language, is only growing. According to statistics from one of the leading agencies in the field of IT recruiting, Collabera, from the beginning of 2017 to the end of 2018, the number of Java-related vacancies immediately increased by 80% - from 3.5 thousand to 6.2 thousand. An excellent indicator for a language that is already 25 years old.

3. Learning Java is easy (well, relatively speaking)

It’s easy in comparison with some programming languages ​​(for example, C++), and, of course, more difficult with others. But even a basic level of knowledge of Java allows you to create simple but functional elements, while errors made in the code are easy to recognize and correct. This is a big advantage of Java compared to C or C++, where finding and recognizing errors in code can often be an arduous, confusing, and sometimes downright frustrating process. Java also uses a simple and clear syntax with a minimum of special characters, which makes the code easier to read and easier to learn. And in general, after going through the first stages of mastering the language and overcoming the initial difficulties, writing programs in Java becomes quite simple. And sometimes it’s also nice.

4. Developed community and a lot of educational materials in the public domain

The massive and ever-growing community around the world is undoubtedly one of the strengths of Java as a programming language and platform. The community plays a huge role in the life of any language, supporting newcomers, helping to solve problems and simply spreading the latest information. There are hundreds of active forums and groups on social networks devoted to Java, not to mention organizations that develop their open source products in Java and share their work with third-party users. One of the advantages of the Java community is that not only beginners in this field can find help and support, but also experienced professionals, and even Java experts often turn to the community for assistance and assistance. At the same time, active participation in the community with discussions and mutual assistance is promoted and popularized among Java coders. Thanks to this, anyone new to Java knows that they will not be left without support and a friendly kick in the ass when needed. Considering that learning any programming language from scratch is still not an easy task, the confidence that you don’t have to go it alone is worth a lot.

5. Huge collection of open libraries

It is largely due to the availability of open source libraries that Java is so popular among developers around the world. Apache, Google, and a host of other companies and non-profit organizations have made open access libraries that make Java development easier, faster, and more efficient. This is why experienced Java coders often advise beginners to simply Google the functionality they need before writing their own code. There is a very high probability that the required function already exists within an open library, has been tested and is available for use by everyone. That is, all the work has already been done for you. Isn't this a dream? Professional developers and coding industry experts most often agree that it makes sense to start learning with Java, and the language itself remains trendy and popular. “Java is one of the best programming languages ​​ever created, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a passionate Java developer myself. Java has proven its status over the past 20 years. Two decades is a long time for any programming language, and Java is only gaining popularity day by day. Yes, there have been periods in the past when activity in the field of Java development decreased, not to mention the traditional rumors about the transition to new modern languages, which have been appearing with enviable regularity for many years. Java continues to move with the times, changing, improving and staying at the forefront of progress,” says Javin Paul, an experienced Java developer and owner of several blogs dedicated to the language. “Java may have lost a little of its trendiness now, but it is still the most popular programming language in literally all respects. Java developers continue to add new features and make it less resource-intensive, faster and more flexible, thereby better suited for large-scale development. Java continues to emerge as a tool for developing large, traditional applications that are essentially a showcase for the kind of coding that most businesses require today—90% of Fortune 500 companies use them! No matter how we look at it, the huge base of Java applications and code, as well as the large number of positions for Java developers, are not going anywhere anytime soon,” says John Mueller, IT expert and author of many books about programming.

What difficulties may arise when learning Java?

So, beginners at this stage should already understand that Java is objectively the best option for learning as a first language, and those of little faith and doubting this fact should be ashamed and repent. Seriously speaking, along with listing all the advantages of choosing Java to start your coding career, we should also talk about what difficulties newbies will face along this path. Just to make sure that the reader does not get the wrong impression after this article that learning Java is a piece of cake. Now, that's not true. Considering all the stated advantages, such as a huge number of open libraries and a friendly community, you should understand that learning anything from scratch is not an easy task (unless you are going to master the profession of an Instagram model). Since Java is not a young language and, let’s say, very mature, the amount of information that you will have to study in order to master it is also large. One of the basic questions for any beginner considering learning Java is how long will it take? It is, of course, difficult to give a definite answer here due to the influence of a huge number of factors. So let's just give a couple of quotes. “Java can really be learned in 10 months or even less. Overall, I would say that learning a language is not that difficult of a task. It is much more difficult to learn to program. It is not the same. Don't make this mistake: learning to code is hard . To do this, you need to develop analytical and logical skills, applying them to solve problems. And what language you use to create your own software solutions is secondary,” said Richard Kenneth, an experienced developer and former team leader at ATI Technologies. “The time it takes you to master Java can vary greatly. If we were talking about an experienced developer who has been coding in C++ and C# for at least several years, I would say that a couple of days would be enough. And I would even advise him to send his resume to vacancies for Java coders without knowing the language at all (you can master it after receiving the position). The problem is not with Java as a language, but with fundamental programming skills. When employers specify that they are looking for a coder with “3-5 years of Java experience,” what they are really talking about is having those very fundamental skills and the ability to find solutions to problems,” said Fred Ross, a developer at Facebook.

Let's sum it up

Does it make sense to start learning programming with Java or is it better to choose another language? Yes. Java is definitely the best option to start with, even though it has its pros and cons just like any other. Does it make sense to start learning Java now while planning for your future in the long term? And again, the answer is positive - the popularity of Java is only growing, and with it the demand for Java programmers is increasing. And finally, one more question that invariably worries those who are considering starting to learn Java. How long will it take? There is no clear answer here, but according to research by JavaRush , learning Java on average takes from 3 months to several years. As for employment after training, on average it takes from a month to three to find a job. And taking into account the fact that the demand for Java coders is only growing, it is better to hurry up when starting training.