Following a lull to competitor Python, Java is once again hot in the web development world. A comprehensive study of StackOverflow developers conducted by Tech Republic found that over 16,000 – a significant proportion – are deploying Java for full-stack development, the most hot market in development today. Java development services are also on the rise, with companies turning to experts in building out their architecture. For developers and hobbyists, finding market relevancy through using Java will focus on a few key areas.
Java-based web hosting
One of the major drivers behind Java’s revival is the ever-increasing push towards ecommerce. Government statistics have found that online sales grow by 10% every quarter. The basis for many modern ecommerce toolkits is Java, and especially so for small business which requires easier solutions. The importance of Java dev for websites is emphasized by industry insiders including development platform JavaPipe, who have outlined the shift in the market towards Java-based VPS – one of the most popular hosting types for small business.
The Android market
Also driving Java growth is the success of the Android operating system. According to tech website Computer Hope, Android has gobbled up the global market for OS use, taking up a gigantic 40% of all devices. While this has been driven by the use of smartphones, this section of the market simply cannot be ignored. Android is based on Java technology, and Google are not giving that up easily; an ongoing court fight between Oracle and Google has shown the appetite of the mega-corporation to continue deploying the technology.
Big players coming back in
As well as Google and Oracle duking it out over the technology, other major players in the tech industry have come home to the Java roost. Most notably, Microsoft made headlines with their acquisition of one open source Java manipulation toolkit, spending hundreds of millions of dollars in the process. A clear nod towards the relevance of the technology and where Microsoft see their own development going, their acquisition of Java-based technology startups can only bode well for Java developers, and gives a hint to everyone else as to where tech is moving to.
Java is one of the oldest technologies in the book and has had its ups and downs. Right now it seems to be on the wave for a big up, as market forces push development towards it and big companies show their teeth over its impact. For hobbyists and business, scratching up on Java is not a bad idea at current.