Java is a widely used programming language known for its platform independence and versatility. It was developed by Sun Microsystems (now owned by Oracle Corporation) and released in 1995. Java is designed to be simple, object-oriented, and robust, making it suitable for various applications from web development to enterprise systems.

History and Evolution

Java originated as a project called “Oak” in the early 1990s by James Gosling and his team at Sun Microsystems. It was later renamed Java and officially released in 1995. Java’s evolution has seen significant updates and improvements over the years, with new features and enhancements added regularly to keep up with modern programming practices and technologies.

Features of Java

  • Platform Independence: Java programs can run on any device that has a Java Virtual Machine (JVM), making it highly portable.
  • Object-Oriented: Java supports object-oriented programming principles such as inheritance, encapsulation, and polymorphism.
  • Robust and Secure: Java’s strong memory management, exception handling, and security features contribute to its reliability.
  • Multi-threaded: Built-in support for multithreading allows concurrent execution of tasks, improving performance.
  • Rich API: Java provides a vast standard library (API) that simplifies development and enables a wide range of functionalities.
  • Automatic Memory Management: Java uses garbage collection to automatically manage memory allocation and deallocation.