Are there any similarities between Java and JavaScript? Is JavaScript derived from Java or vice versa?

These are some of the common questions we generally encounter from people not from the tech field or new to the programming world. And for sure, this may be due to the presence of the word "Java" in both of them. So let's see if there's a similarity between the two or are completely different from each other.

Introduction of Java

One of the most commonly used and famous languages these days, Java, was unveiled by James Gosling, dated back in 1991. It was then developed by a team of Sun Microsystems named "Green Team", and it took close to 4 years to be available for public use. After saturating and capturing the whole market with the Java run programs, it is considered one of the blessings of the programming world.

So what is the history behind JavaScript?

So the terminology of JavaScript was done dating back to the 1990s. So, It was when the Internet was gaining popularity, and Interned explorer and Netscape navigator were the most used browsers. Due to the increasing popularity, the developers felt a need to develop some language that could act as mediocre between user interactions and browsers. One developer came up, created a language, named it Live Script, and integrated it into the navigator.

This meant that the browser was interpreting the user's commands; the code didn't have to be compiled, and a plug-in was not required. Another programming language, Java, was gaining popularity around the same time, even though Java required a separate plug-in to function. Netscape saw the opportunity and renamed their language "JavaScript.". I would say that this was indeed a terrible decision.

Can you please explain the difference between the two?

Both Java and JavaScript are written, assembled, and executed differently, and each has dramatic differences when it comes to what it is capable of doing.

Java has many use cases, ranging from modern Android Applications/ Desktop Applications to Complex web enterprise programming. By comparison, JavaScript has a use case mainly in the web, i.e. it is used to make the website more interactive. For example, When we need to add beautiful animations to the website, we use JavaScript.

These are some on point and technical key differences

Java code must be compiled, and JavaScript code is all-text. Each language requires different plug-ins. JavaScript code is run on a browser only, while Java creates applications that run in a virtual machine or browser. Java is an OOP (object-oriented programming) language, and JavaScript is specifically an OOP scripting language.

Conclusion

Java and JavaScript are not similar to each other, with both of them having different use cases. JavaScript is the most popularly used language of the web, whereas Java uses cases in places ranging from server-side to client-side applications.

While ending this article, I would like to say that both Java and JavaScript are worth giving your precious time and learning them if you enter the programming world. Also, Knowledge of these languages increases your chances of landing a job in the IT field more efficiently. However, if you liked the article and think that you need this at any point in time, consider bookmarking this.