Java is one of the most popular programming languages used today.

Owned by Oracle Corporation, this general-purpose programming language with its object-oriented structure has become a standard for applications that can be used regardless of platform (e.g., Mac, Windows, Android, iOS, etc.) because of its Write Once, Run Anywhere (WORA) capabilities. As a result, Java is recognized for its portability across platforms, from mainframe data centers to smartphones. Today there are more than 3 billion devices running applications built with Java.

Java is widely used in web and application development as well as big data. Java is also used on the backend of several popular websites, including Google, Amazon, Twitter, and YouTube. It is also extensively used in hundreds of applications. New Java frameworks like Spring, Struts, and Hibernate are also very popular. With millions of Java developers worldwide, there are hundreds of ways to learn Java. Also, Java programmers have an extensive online community and support each other to solve problems.

Level: Intermediate

Skills Needed: Problem-solving, knowledge of the object-oriented structure

Platform: Web, Mobile, Desktop

Popularity Among Programmers: One of the world’s most popular; high demand

Benefits:
Regarded as a good start for learning to think like a programmer and gain coding skills
You’ll be able to access/manipulate the most important computer functions, like the file system, graphics, and sound for any fairly sophisticated and modern program that can run on any operating system.

Downsides: Lots of new vocabulary to learn; a higher-level language

Degree of Use: Widely used; highly applicable