The Internet of Things (IoT) as a concept has been around for a long time - it has been on the list of trending niches for the future for several years now. Along with big data, AI and a number of other popular and rapidly developing industries. But in recent years, IoT has begun to actively penetrate our daily lives, and the number of developments in this area is constantly growing, which is reflected in the emergence of an increasing number of new vacancies for IoT developers. This is where this topic gets interesting, because most IoT coders use Java as their primary programming language in this niche (not surprising, but more on that later). In terms of popularity in the IoT programming environment, Java leaves other languages such as C, Python and C++ far behind.
IoT - from a futuristic concept into everyday life
Today's material is devoted to the use of Java in the Internet of Things, how a Java developer can increase his competitiveness in the IoT, as well as the latest trends in this niche. But first, you need to understand why Java is so popular in the IoT environment, and for this it would not hurt to remind the reader in general terms of what this very Internet of Things is. The Internet of Things is a concept in which many everyday appliances and consumer electronics, from washing machines to kettles, are computerized and connected to the Internet. This opens up various new opportunities: in particular, Internet of Things devices make it possible to collect and analyze huge amounts of new data, adapting the operation of the devices to each user. The IoT concept is being actively implemented, along with a number of related technologies such as home automation, video analytics and artificial intelligence. For example, in the medical field, the IoT niche is gaining popularity by introducing innovative devices that can monitor the condition of patients located in remote locations. The peculiarity of the Internet of Things is that each device or data collection sensor must be equipped with a built-in application in order to implement all this functionality, which is the basis of the IoT concept. And to create such built-in applications, programmers prefer to use Java.
Java and IoT - as if made for each other
In fact, Java was originally created for precisely this purpose, so it is not surprising that it is so well suited for creating IoT applications. In the early nineties (language development began in 1990, and the first version was released in 1996) Java emerged as a language for writing applications for PDA (personal digital assistant) devices, the ancestors of modern smartphones. Later, over the next dozen or so years, Java gradually evolved into a more universal platform as the language proved to be great for creating applications that run on a variety of modern mobile devices. One of the reasons why Java and IoT are such a great pair is that applications written in Java tend to be very light on resources. The fact is that in the nineties and early 2000s, the devices of that time had limited amounts of RAM memory and little computing power. Many times smaller than the current ones. And Java was designed specifically for use in this resource-intensive environment that requires functional applications with minimal processing power. This certainly admirable trait has continued to this day, allowing Java applications for IoT to have very modest requirements, making do with minimal computer resources and memory.
Experts: the key to successful development for IoT is flexibility
As homes, cars, offices, refrigerators and coffee makers become more and more “smart,” that is, as the IoT infrastructure grows, the need for developers who will ensure the correct and secure operation of these devices also grows. And this opens up a lot of opportunities for Java coders, just have time to send out your resume. What knowledge and skills should be improved by those who do not want to miss this opportunity and intend to become a respected and, what is of course more important, a highly paid IoT developer? Unfortunately, there is no simple answer here. “The term “IoT developer” is interpreted very broadly today. In the field of the Internet of Things in general, there are a number of important disciplines, including security, network technologies, systems engineering, cloud programming and hardware device programming. Therefore, it makes sense to strive for maximum versatility so that "be flexible and take on different roles on the development team," advises Greg Gorman, director of the IoT Developer Ecosystem project at IBM, according to Karen Panetta, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Tufts University. Unlike other developers, it is very helpful for those working in the IoT field to have at least a basic understanding of sensors and wireless communications. “Beyond computing, IoT is also the world of mechanical and civil engineering, as sensors collect physical data. Being a deep “IoT technologist” “It’s very difficult - you need to be interested in the world and, in a sense, be a “renaissance man,” said Bryan Kester, head of IoT development at Autodesk.
Practice on Raspberry Pi and other microcomputers
Elliot Schrock, founder and chief developer of Thryv, advises coders to practice by completing projects for Raspberry Pi devices. “Raspberry Pis are very low-cost, tiny computers that are often used to test proof-of-concept IoT projects. By the way, it's also a great tool to learn how to solder simple circuits together and interface them with software,” he said. Other experts agree with him. Suz Hinton, technical evangelist at Microsoft, also noted that a working knowledge of hardware is often very helpful for IoT coders. “Using devices like the Tessel 2, Particle Photon, or even the humble Raspberry Pi helps developers quickly master the hardware and gain new essential skills. In fact, one of the main features of writing IoT code is learning to write for very small and slower computers,” she says.
An IoT developer must be “obsessed” with new technologies
Other experts also agree with the idea of maximum versatility and constantly learning new things in order to become a truly successful IoT developer. According to Eli Dow, a research scientist at IBM, knowing one platform and having one specialized set of skills is not enough. “The platform you write for may be out of date within six months to a year. Sensor systems are constantly changing, single board computers and other embedded platforms continue to evolve, and you must be able to constantly adapt to platform changes and such a frantic pace,” said the expert. “Successful IoT developers must be obsessed with new technologies, follow the news, know about all the current trends in the industry - what is popular now, what is no longer relevant, and what could be the next breakthrough. This provides the necessary foundation to master the technology and be able to produce truly high-level code,” added Erin Essex, Creative Director at Webonise.
Trends
If we follow the advice of experts and start studying the trends of the IoT industry, we will be convinced that they know what they are talking about. The Internet of Things is developing really rapidly, and is actively finding application in more and more new areas. Let's talk about those where IoT is just beginning to gain popularity and which do not come to mind first when the Internet of Things is mentioned.
Business intelligence and data collection
Contrary to popular belief, IoT is not just about consumer electronics. The Internet of Things covers almost all areas of business. That's why it's important for developers to understand how companies can use IoT devices to collect data and then analyze it. The types of data, depending on the type of device and its sensors, can be very different, from geolocation to heart rate and food preferences. Data collection using IoT is definitely one of the important trends that is now just starting to gain momentum. Therefore, it is important for developers to understand how the processes responsible for receiving, processing and storing this data, as well as its subsequent use, work. Special systems are being developed to collect and analyze data, which will be quite difficult to understand without at least basic knowledge of business analytics.
Machine learning and AI
Another trend of the near future. Although today not all IoT devices use machine learning, in the future their number will constantly increase. Machine learning is an application of artificial intelligence (AI) that involves giving computers access to data that they use to learn. Since IoT devices are capable of collecting huge amounts of data, their potential for machine learning is enormous. There are a huge number of ways to use this technology: from simple personalization, that is, the ability of devices to adapt to a specific user, to more global solutions such as “smart” cities.
Safety
Security in the IoT field is not a new trend, but it is gaining importance. Since IoT devices connect to the Internet and also form a single network with other devices, their security becomes an issue. Security is called one of the main obstacles to the mass spread of the Internet of Things, because IoT devices often have access to a lot of data about the daily lives of users. Therefore, many experts advise IoT coders to pay attention to self-education in this area. Moreover, this includes not only protection against hacking as such, but also such concepts as data ethics, confidentiality and responsible attitude towards private information. All this should be taken into account when developing applications for IoT, so as not to run into problems and fair indignation from end users.
conclusions
To summarize, general recommendations for IoT developers boil down to the well-known directive “learn, study and study again.” The Internet of Things is a rapidly growing field in which it will be quite easy for a qualified Java developer to find a use for it. Moreover, while still a relatively underdeveloped niche, IoT opens up a wide field for self-realization. But to do this, you need not only to “stay at the forefront of progress,” keeping track of all the news and the latest trends, but also to deepen your practical knowledge by studying various aspects of this niche, not limited to just program code.
according to Karen Panetta, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Tufts University. Unlike other developers, it is very helpful for those working in the IoT field to have at least a basic understanding of sensors and wireless communications. “Beyond computing, IoT is also the world of mechanical and civil engineering, as sensors collect physical data. Being a deep “IoT technologist” “It’s very difficult - you need to be interested in the world and, in a sense, be a “renaissance man,” said Bryan Kester, head of IoT development at Autodesk.
Data collection using IoT is definitely one of the important trends that is now just starting to gain momentum. Therefore, it is important for developers to understand how the processes responsible for receiving, processing and storing this data, as well as its subsequent use, work. Special systems are being developed to collect and analyze data, which will be quite difficult to understand without at least basic knowledge of business analytics.
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