The two languages hold their importance in programming, having a complete set of advanced features and tools. Python and Java are two of the most used languages worldwide.
Most people are often confused between Python and Java when choosing their first programming language. Many of us find Python simple and suitable for beginners due to its easy syntax and vast library support. However, the demand for Java programmers is always at its peak. Hence, choosing one of these two languages sometimes gets difficult. In this article, we will look into some of the most important differences between Python and Java.
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Python vs Java: Java Overview
Java is one of the most popular languages among developers today. The Sun Microsystem, also known as Oracle today, developed Java language in 1995. It offers many advanced features, such as platform independence. Hence, we need to write our code only once and can use it on any platform without any need for modification.
With the help of Java Virtual Machine (JVM), which is responsible for converting the bytecode into machine-level language so that it can be processed on any platform such as Windows, Mac OS, or Linux easily.
Java source code is written in plain text, which gets converted into an intermediate form (bytecode) to the machine executable code, hence, Java is a compiled language. Also, in Java, we must declare the data type of every variable, hence, Java is a statically typed language.
| Python vs Java: Writing Hello world with Java |
| public class HelloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args) { System.out.println(“Hello, World!”); } } |
The above code will display “Hello World!” in the output. We print the result with the System.out.println(). Java codes are a bit lengthier than Python. In Java, our code is enclosed inside a class container.
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|
Python vs Java: Example of Java Program |
| public class HelloWorld {
public static void main(String[] args) { //code } } |
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The syntax of Java is similar to C language. However, working on Java is a bit easier. There are many applications of Java, such as Mobile applications, artificial intelligence, machine learning, GUI applications, gaming applications, Business applications, etc.
Python vs Java: Features of Java Programming Language
Given here are some of the top features of Java Programming language. Check the table below.
|
Features Of Java Programming Language |
| Platform Independent language (Highly portable) |
| Compiled language |
| Supports Object-Oriented Programming (OOPs) |
| Strongly Typed Langauge |
| Robust and Reliable |
| Built-In-Memory Management |
| Multi-Threading Support |
| Standard Library |
| Security |
| Community and Ecosystem |
| Portability |
| Scalability |
| Applet Support |
Python vs Java: Python Overview
Python was developed by Guido Van Rossum in 1991. Python has been gaining popularity for a few years due to the simplicity it offers. The syntax of Python code is readable and flexible, which makes it suitable for a wide range of application development.
Python language is an interpreted language which reads the code line by line. There is no need for a separate compilation process like Java. This is one of the major differences between Python vs Java. Due to this line-by-line execution, we can easily get feedback in case of any errors in the middle of our code, which makes debugging simple.
In Python, we do not need to declare the data type before variables, as the interpreter in Python determines the data type itself at the runtime. Hence, Python is a dynamically typed language, which makes it simple and favourable for programmers.
|
Python vs Java: Writing Hello World with Python |
| print ( “Hello World!”) |
In Python, printing “Hello World” only requires the print method to display the output. This is one of the reasons that makes Python everyone’s favourite.
Java vs Python: Features of Python Language
Let us check some of the major features of the Python language in the table below.
|
Feature Of Python Programming Language |
| Python syntax is simple and Readable. |
| High-Level Language |
| Interpreted Language |
| It offers an extensive Standard Library |
| It also supports Object-Oriented Programming like Java. |
| Python provides extensive community Support. |
| It is used to develop many trending technologies, such as artificial intelligence, Data Science, and Machine learning. |
Java vs Python: Example of Python Language
Let us check a simple program for factorials written in Python language.
|
Java vs Python: Python Program Example |
| # Factorial using recursion
def factorial(x): if x == 1: return 1 else: return (x * factorial(x-1)) num = 5 # num = int(input(“Enter a number: “)) # call the factorial function result = factorial(num) print(“The factorial of”, num, “is”, result) |
The above code will give output, “ The factorial of 5 is 120.” Now, let us write the code for the same problem using Java.
|
Java vs Python: Java Program Example |
| class Factorial {
static int factorial(int n) { // base case if (n == 0) { return 1; } // calling recursive function return n * factorial(n – 1); } public static void main(String[] args) { System.out.println(“Factorial of the number 5 is: ” + factorial(5)); } } |
Python vs Java: Comparison
Let us now check the major differences between the two most popular programming languages.
|
Difference between Python vs Java |
|
| Java | Python |
| Java is a compiled language. Code is first converted into bytecode and then to the machine-level language with the help of JVM. | Python is an interpreted language. It executes our code line by line. |
| Java also offers platform independence. However, faster debugging and feedback are not always possible. | Fast debugging, platform independence and quick feedback are possible. |
| Java syntax is simpler than the programming language like C, C++, and others. | Python English syntax is much simpler and more concise for the developers to understand and learn. |
| Java syntax is readable but is not much human-friendly when compared to Python. | Syntax in Python is more readable. |
| Java compiles the code before runtime in advance. | Python compiles code during runtime. |
| Multithreading in Java makes it really fast. | However, Python is slow in some cases when compared to Java. |
| Java has been there for a long time now, and hence, their versions are more stable. | Python versions are not very stable as it is a language in development and evolving. |
| It does not support operator overloading. | It supports operator overloading. |
| It also consists of a standard library and modules. | It provides a huge library support, which makes it suitable for trending technologies like artificial intelligence, data science, etc. |
| Java is faster than Python. | Python execution speed is slower due to interpretation at every line. |
Python vs Java: Which One to Choose?
Choosing between Python and Java is a tough task. Both these langauges have their own set of advantages. They both offer various advanced tools and features for an effective coding experience for the user. However, the decision also depends upon the developer’s needs and the types of projects they are working on.
Java is most of the time the first choice because Java developers are always in demand. But Python upgraded itself and is now more stable and secure. Hence, in future, both these languages will offer tough competition to each other. As Python is improving with time, Java is already stable and secure. The last decision rest in the hands of users. Based on their use case and preference, choosing any one of the two will provide a wonderful coding experience.
Python vs Java FAQs
Q1. Is Java better than Python?
Ans: Java and Python are the most popular languages used worldwide. They have their own set of features and benefits. Check the article to help you decide which one to choose.
Q2. Are Java programs portable?
Ans: Yes, Java programs are platform-independent. Hence, we can use the same code on many platforms without any change.
Q3. Why Python language is considered easy than Java?
Ans: Python syntax is simpler and beginner, which is easy to learn. Hence, Python language can be a good choice for beginners.
Q4. Is Python slower than Java?
Ans: Yes, Python is slower than Java, as Python is an interpreted language which executes code line by line. In contrast, Java compiles the code in advance.
Q5. Why is Python also called a Dynamically Typed language?
Ans: Python is a dynamically typed language because, unlike Java, here we do not have to mention the data types explicitly before variables at the time of declaration.
