# Java

> object-oriented programming language

**Wikidata**: [Q251](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q251)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_(programming_language))  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/java

## Summary

Java is a software application that was influenced by several programming languages. Specifically, its design was influenced by C++, Simula 67, Smalltalk, Objective-C, Object Pascal, and Oberon, along with two additional languages.

## Summary
Java is an object-oriented, multi-paradigm programming language first released in 1995. Originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems, it is a JVM language, meaning its compiled code (bytecode) is designed to run on the Java virtual machine (JVM), allowing it to function across different computer systems.

## Key Facts
- **Inception Date:** May 23, 1995
- **Primary Creator:** James Gosling
- **Original Developer:** Sun Microsystems
- **Current Developer:** Oracle Corporation (since January 27, 2010)
- **Classification:** Multi-paradigm programming language, JVM language, software
- **License:** GNU General Public License
- **Typing Discipline:** Static, strong, and safe typing
- **Predecessor Language:** Based on a language named Oak
- **Mascot:** Duke

## FAQs
### Q: Who created Java?
A: Java was designed by Canadian computer scientist James Gosling while he was working at Sun Microsystems. Sun Microsystems was the original developer of the language.

### Q: When was Java first released?
A: Java was first publicly released on May 23, 1995.

### Q: What kind of programming language is Java?
A: Java is a multi-paradigm language, best known for being object-oriented. It is also a JVM language, meaning its compiled code runs on the Java virtual machine, and it features static, strong, and safe typing.

## Why It Matters
Java's primary significance lies in its "write once, run anywhere" capability, enabled by the Java virtual machine (JVM). This innovation allowed developers to write code that could run on any device equipped with a JVM, regardless of the underlying hardware or operating system, which was a major shift in software development. This platform independence made it a dominant force in enterprise software, web application backends, and large-scale systems for decades.

Its influence is vast, forming the foundation for the Android operating system, which powers billions of mobile devices. The language is also used to build a wide array of software, including the search engine OpenSearch, the distributed data store Voldemort, and numerous development tools like Checkstyle and Eclipse Mylyn. Java's robust, secure, and scalable nature has cemented its role as a critical language in the global technology infrastructure.

## Notable For
- **Platform Independence:** Java code is compiled into bytecode that runs on the Java virtual machine (JVM), not the native hardware. This allows a Java program to run on any platform that has a JVM.
- **Object-Oriented by Design:** Java was built from the ground up as a class-based, object-oriented programming language, a paradigm that structures software around data and objects rather than functions and logic.
- **Multi-Paradigm Support:** While primarily object-oriented, Java also supports other programming paradigms, including structured, functional, imperative, generic, and concurrent programming.
- **Renamed from Oak:** The language was originally developed under the name "Oak." It was later renamed "Java," a name inspired by Java coffee.

## Body
### History and Development
- **Inception:** Java was created in 1995, with its first public release on May 23, 1995.
- **Creators:** The language was designed by James Gosling and developed at Sun Microsystems.
- **Ownership:** Sun Microsystems developed Java until it was acquired by Oracle Corporation. Oracle has been the primary developer since January 27, 2010.
- **Origins:** Java is based on a preceding language called Oak and was named after Java coffee. It was developed in the United States.
- **Influences:** The design of Java was influenced by several other programming languages, including Simula, Objective-C, Object Pascal, Oberon, Mesa, Smalltalk, and Modula-3.

### Technical Characteristics
- **Programming Paradigms:** Java is a multi-paradigm language supporting:
    - Object-oriented programming
    - Functional programming
    - Imperative programming
    - Generic programming
    - Structured programming
    - Concurrent programming
    - Component-based software engineering
- **Typing Discipline:** Java uses static, strong, safe, nominative, and manifest typing.
- **Platform:** As a JVM language, Java is a core part of the Java platform. Its code is compiled to run on the Java virtual machine and utilizes the Java Development Kit (JDK).
- **File Extensions:** Common file extensions associated with Java are `.java` (source code), `.class` (compiled bytecode), `.jar` (Java archive), `.jad`, and `.jmod`.

### Ecosystem and Usage
- **License:** Java is licensed under the GNU General Public License.
- **Mascot:** The official mascot for Java is a character named Duke.
- **Notable Implementations:** Jython is an implementation of the Python interpreter written in Java.
- **Use Cases:** Java is used to build a wide variety of software, including the Android operating system, the OpenSearch search engine, the Voldemort distributed data store, and the Lucee programming language implementation.

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Java",
  "description": "Java is an object-oriented, multi-paradigm programming language originally developed by Sun Microsystems and first released in 1995.",
  "url": "https://www.oracle.com/java/",
  "additionalType": [
    "http://schema.org/SoftwareApplication",
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q251",
    "multi-paradigm programming language",
    "JVM language"
  ],
  "dateCreated": "1995-05-23",
  "creator": [
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "James Gosling"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Organization",
      "name": "Sun Microsystems"
    }
  ],
  "license": "https://schema.org/GNUGeneralPublicLicense"
}

## References

1. [So why did they decide to call it Java?. JavaWorld. 1996](https://www.javaworld.com/article/2077265/so-why-did-they-decide-to-call-it-java-.html)
2. [Source](https://www.oracle.com/java/)
3. [Source](https://www.lemondeinformatique.fr/actualites/lire-java-open-source-c-est-fait-et-c-est-en-gpl-21350.html)
4. [JDK 25](https://openjdk.org/projects/jdk/25/)
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. [Source](https://kenai.com/projects/duke/pages/Home)
7. [Source](http://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/application/java-archive)
8. BBC Things
9. YSO-Wikidata mapping project
10. Quora
11. [Java | Programmer's Wiki | Fandom](https://code.fandom.com/wiki/Java)
12. [Source](https://golden.com/wiki/Java_(programming_language)-4J3A)
13. FactGrid
14. National Library of Israel
15. KBpedia
16. YouTube API
17. GF WordNet
18. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)
19. [Java MBTI Stereotype - Personality Database™️ 2022](https://www.personality-database.com/profile/197235/java-languages-incl-programming-language-mbti-personality-type)