Let's go to the javiists. How can a programmer switch from his own language to Java?

The popularity of Java and its fairly bright prospects for the near future make programmers who specialize in other languages ​​think about switching to Java. This is what we will talk about in this article - from which languages ​​programmers most often switch to Java, whether such a transition makes sense from a career point of view, and how to do it most quickly and efficiently.

What languages ​​are people most likely to switch to Java from?

To begin with, let's briefly go through the programming languages ​​from which people most often switch to Java, as well as their main disadvantages, or rather, features that may be the reason for switching to another language.

1.PHP

• Not suitable for large-scale applications

  PHP is pretty bad at creating feature-rich and scalable applications, and in today's world more and more applications need to be just that. Since PHP is not a modular language, complex applications built on it are quite difficult to maintain.

• Safety problems

  The open, that is, open source, form of PHP is the cause of security problems: the source code is available to everyone, which means that anyone can find and exploit bugs that lead to vulnerabilities in the code.

• Narrow profile

  Another noticeable drawback, important for programmers themselves, is the fact that PHP is still a language intended primarily for web development. Despite the fact that PHP can be used to implement solutions in various areas, it is “tailored” for web development, and most PHP specialists are limited exclusively to this area.

  In addition to the above three, PHP has a number of well-known shortcomings, such as errors in the code, weak data typing, etc.

2. C#

• Not widespread enough

  C# is not nearly as widespread as, for example, Java, PHP or Python, and is used primarily in the development of various kinds of solutions for commercial enterprises, which means that there are not so many positions for C# programmers, especially in small cities.

• Dependency on Microsoft

  C# is considered the flagship programming language for Microsoft, which invests quite a lot of effort and resources in developing the versatility and cross-platform nature of this language. However, this is one of the disadvantages of C# - this language is associated primarily with solutions for the Windows platform, and its long-term development will depend on Microsoft to a very large extent.

• High difficulty

  C# cannot be used without the Microsoft .NET framework on which it is based, and .NET is very, very difficult to learn and use.

3.Python

• Python is bad for mobile development

  Традиционно считается, что Python плохо подходит для разработки мобильных решений, несмотря на то, что в последние годы данный язык стал более адаптированным для мобильной сферы, например, благодаря появлению библиотек для создания приложений. Однако Python по-прежнему не будет основным языком разработки для двух основных мобильных платформ — Android и iOS, — тогда How востребованность приложений под них только растет.

• Python не пользуется популярностью в разработке корпоративных решений

  Несмотря на то, что Python — это один из наиболее популярных языков программирования в мире, и он часто применяется при масштабной веб-разработке, в корпоративной сфере, где работа программистов, How правило, оплачивается лучше всего, он не слишком популярен. Причина — ограничения Python в том, что касается доступа к базам данных.

• Python-codeерам тяжело даются другие ЯП

  Поскольку Python считается самым простым ЯП в мире, и это так, Python-программистам бывает трудно писать code на других языках, которые кажутся им слишком сложными. Хотя простота Python является преимуществом данного языка, она же может сыграть злую шутку с Python-codeерами, ограничив их профессиональное развитие.

4. Ruby

• Меньше материалов для самообучения и развития

  Сообщество Ruby-codeеров не такое большое, How коммьюнити Java or Python, и программистам, пишущим на Ruby, доступно меньше туториалов и гайдов по возможностям данного языка. В особенности это верно для материалов на русском языке.

• Ruby более сложен в изучении, чем другие языки

  Не помогает прогрессировать и повышать свою квалификацию и тот факт, что Ruby сам по себе более сложен, чем другие популярные ЯП. Из-за этого продвинуться в нем дальше начального уровня для многих может оказаться непосильной задачей.

• Новичку в Ruby будет сложно найти работу

  Данный пункт частично вытекает из предыдущего. Программистам-новичкам в Ruby обычно довольно сложно найти работу, потому что для полноценной разработки на Ruby требуется знать этот язык на хорошем уровне. В то же время, новичок в Java может достаточно легко получить junior-позицию и продолжать обучение уже работая и окупая расходы на свое образование.

5. C++

• Сложность в освоении

  C++ считается наиболее сложным в освоении среди языков в данном списке. Из-за этого он менее популярен среди программистов-новичков — решения на C++ получаются комплексными и трудными в отладке.

• Технические недостатки

  Для C++ характерен целый ряд особенностей, преимущественно унаследованных им от предшественника, языка С, которые большинство программистов относят к техническим недостаткам. В частности, это провоцирующий ошибки синтаксис, плохая поддержка модульности, примитивный препроцессор и т.д.

Стоит ли переходить? Карьерные преимущества перехода на Java

We at JavaRush talk about the advantages of Java, such as the popularity of this language in various trend areas ( clouds , blockchain , Internet of things , big data , AI) quite regularly. Therefore, here we will simply list the main advantages of switching to Java for a programmer from a career point of view.

• Jobs galore

  The high popularity of Java and the use of this language in a variety of areas provide a consistently large number of open vacancies for Java programmers around the world. Today, finding a job as a Java coder is not easy, but very simple. By the way, we have an article on how a junior Java programmer can increase his attractiveness in the eyes of an employer (as well as an article on how to successfully pass an interview ).

• High popularity of Java in the corporate sphere

  According to Oracle, Java runs on 97 percent of all enterprise computers. This language is used by banks, IT giants, media companies, government and non-profit organizations. Knowing Java, it is quite possible to get a job in such well-known and respected companies as Netflix, Spotify, eBay, Google, Oracle, Facebook, etc.

• Java dominates mobile development

  Android is the most popular mobile platform in the world, and applications for Android are written, among other things, in Java, which provides this language with confident leadership in the field of mobile development.

• Official Java certifications will help you find a job abroad

  Java programmers have access to global certifications, such as OCAJP and OCPJP, with which they can easily find work abroad and advance their career. A detailed overview of Java certifications in Russian can be found on JavaRush.

• Opportunities for career growth to senior positions

  The abundance of work for Java coders and the use of this language in a wide variety of projects opens up greater opportunities for developers to advance their careers to senior positions - for example, to an architect or technical manager.

Tips for those wanting to switch to Java

Well, in conclusion, we’ll just give a number of basic tips to those programmers who already write in one of the languages, but would like to switch to Java.

1. Build a strong foundation from theoretical knowledge

   Fortunately, there is a wealth of material available online for anyone who wants to learn Java, including books , YouTube channels , blogs, and podcasts. Not to mention forums where you can ask experienced Java coders for advice.

2. Set a realistic goal

   Modern Java includes many systems and solutions that cannot be mastered quickly. Therefore, you should not expect that you will become an expert in Java in a year or a year and a half. But during this period, you can master basic knowledge and gain practical experience, which will be enough for employment. By the way, our review of services for combating procrastination and planning training can help with this .

3. Don't forget to practice

   One of the common mistakes when learning a new programming language is to focus too much on theory. So don't forget to regularly practice what you've just learned - write code, develop simple solutions, and apply newly learned technologies. We will help you with coding practice :)

4. Try porting your projects to Java

   One of the popular tips for switching from one language to another from coding experts is to try to transfer already written programs from the “old” language to the one you are studying. Migrating the code base of an existing project to a new language can be time-consuming, but it can be very rewarding from a practical experience point of view, because the process provides the best possible understanding of the features of the new language and the challenges that you will have to deal with when developing in it.