Java (programming language)

Java is a <a href="/facts/High-level_programming_language/smjECUhx">high-level</a>, <a href="/facts/General-purpose_programming_language/LyA5zR3M">general-purpose</a>, <a href="/facts/Memory_safety/sMWW6SY8">memory-safe</a>, <a href="/facts/Object-oriented_programming/TxNMEcao">object-oriented</a> <a href="/facts/Programming_language/cWTYbgWa">programming language</a>. It is intended to let <a href="/facts/Programmer/WGTS1Jv9">programmers</a> write once, run anywhere (<a href="/facts/Write_once%2c_run_anywhere/oEhR4QXr">WORA</a>), meaning that <a href="/facts/Compiler/WNfCDFJe">compiled</a> Java code can run on all platforms that support Java without the need to recompile. Java applications are typically compiled to <a href="/facts/Java_bytecode/Nh1qKH4y">bytecode</a> that can run on any <a href="/facts/Java_virtual_machine/l9Nzrsun">Java virtual machine</a> (JVM) regardless of the underlying <a href="/facts/Computer_architecture/tHtwxgR2">computer architecture</a>. The <a href="/facts/Syntax_(programming_languages)/zM5oInza">syntax</a> of Java is similar to <a href="/facts/C_(programming_language)/Ky2No763">C</a> and <a href="/facts/C%252B%252B/Et0F2qn9">C++</a>, but has fewer <a href="/facts/Low-level_programming_language/EEpKS6mb">low-level</a> facilities than either of them. The Java runtime provides dynamic capabilities (such as <a href="/facts/Reflective_programming/Nj8stFfp">reflection</a> and runtime code modification) that are typically not available in traditional compiled languages.
Java gained popularity shortly after its release, and has been a popular programming language since then. Java was the third most popular programming language in 2022 according to <a href="/facts/GitHub/n1hNCsc3">GitHub</a>. Although still widely popular, there has been a gradual decline in use of Java in recent years with <a href="/facts/List_of_JVM_languages/IJ3vI5eN">other languages using JVM</a> gaining popularity.
Java was designed by <a href="/facts/James_Gosling/AIKS55X9">James Gosling</a> at <a href="/facts/Sun_Microsystems/VJ9EzEFd">Sun Microsystems</a>. It was released in May 1995 as a core component of Sun's <a href="/facts/Java_(software_platform)/fpn6x8WL">Java platform</a>. The original and <a href="/facts/Reference_implementation/k9B97xel">reference implementation</a> Java <a href="/facts/Compiler/WNfCDFJe">compilers</a>, virtual machines, and <a href="/facts/Library_(computing)/xRzL3P7q">class libraries</a> were released by Sun under <a href="/facts/Proprietary_license/9zcskxYL">proprietary licenses</a>. As of May 2007, in compliance with the specifications of the <a href="/facts/Java_Community_Process/LFQVV4Ik">Java Community Process</a>, Sun had <a href="/facts/Software_relicensing/XfFlRdVw">relicensed</a> most of its Java technologies under the <a href="/facts/GNU_General_Public_License/S75KhLSX">GPL-2.0-only</a> license. <a href="/facts/Oracle_Corporation/0z14FygH">Oracle</a>, which bought Sun in 2010, offers its own <a href="/facts/HotSpot_(virtual_machine)/m6vjRXvm">HotSpot</a> Java Virtual Machine. However, the official <a href="/facts/Reference_implementation/k9B97xel">reference implementation</a> is the <a href="/facts/OpenJDK/KDzob3aF">OpenJDK</a> JVM, which is open-source software used by most developers and is the default JVM for almost all Linux distributions.
<a href="/facts/Java_version_history/Br6eHSP8">Java 24</a> is the version current as of March 2025. Java 8, 11, 17, and 21 are <a href="/facts/Long-term_support/0b0L8MKh">long-term support</a> versions still under maintenance.

Java (programming language) open-in-new

Java (programming language)