How Java changed the development landscape as code turns 30

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Feature It was 30 years ago when the first public release of the Java programming language introduced the world to Write Once, Run Anywhere – and showed devs something cuddlier than C and C++.

It paved the way for open source to enter the enterprise ... And, arguably, the enterprise never looked back

Originally called "Oak," Java was designed in the early 1990s by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems. Initially aimed at digital devices, its focus soon shifted to another platform that was pretty new at the time – the World Wide Web.

The language, which has some similarities to C and C++, usually compiles to a bytecode that can, in theory, run on any Java Virtual Machine (JVM). The intention was to allow programmers to Write Once Run Anywhere (WORA) although subtle differences in JVM implementations meant that dream didn't always play out in reality. This reporter once worked with a witty colleague who described the system as Write Once Test Everywhere, as yet another unexpected wrinkle in a JVM caused their application to behave unpredictably.

However, the language soon became wildly popular, rapidly becoming the backbone of many enterprises. Microsoft rapidly introduced its own take, Visual J++, which, while it conformed to the Java language specification, did not pass Sun Microsystems' compliance tests – leading Sun to sue Redmond in 1999. In 2000, J++ was dropped from Visual Studio and put out to pasture soon after.

Java's popularity grew after its release, only waning in recent years as developers considered alternatives. In 2024's Stack Overflow survey, it remained a top 10 language, ahead of C#, C++, and C. A slight decline in popularity can be seen in the TIOBE Index, where the language was once at the top but is now ranked fourth. According to TIOBE, Python is by far and away the most popular language. TIOBE considered Java the language of the year in 2015.

Brian Fox, co-founder and CTO of Sonatype, said, "Java has outlasted trends, rival languages, and shifting paradigms. From applets and servlets to microservices and cloud-native architectures, Java has evolved while remaining familiar. It paved the way for open source to enter the enterprise.

"And, arguably, the enterprise never looked back."

Indeed, the sheer amount of Java code that now underpins the enterprise means that the need for Java skills has remained even as programming fads come and go.

While its ubiquity, longevity, and presence in many back-office systems might make some engineers think of COBOL, 30 years ago, the language was a modern breath of fresh air compared to its contemporaries, and the promise of portability was alluring.

However, the last 30 years were not all plain sailing.

Fox said, "Java at 30 is a story about more than code. It's a story about trust — trust that's been earned through decades of reliability, stewardship, and shared standards. But that trust is not guaranteed."

Whose Java is it anyway?

When Oracle acquired Sun in 2010, Java came with it. While much of Sun's JVM implementation was made open source, within the decade, Oracle began charging license fees for what was previously free. In 2023, Big Red tweaked its subscription model's license terms, potentially costing businesses thousands. Earlier this year, research claimed that only one in ten Java users intended to stick with Oracle.

However, the platform's ubiquity has meant that alternatives exist to Oracle Java, and the language's popularity is undiminished by so-called "predatory licensing tactics."

Over 30 years, Java has moved from an upstart new language to something enterprises have come to depend on. Yes, it may not have the shiny baubles demanded by the AI applications of today, but it continues to be the foundation for much of today's modern software development. A thriving ecosystem and a vast community of enthusiasts mean that Java remains more than relevant as it heads into its fourth decade. ®

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