Why Do We Need Java?

We already have C, a procedural language, and C++, an object-oriented language, so why was there a need for yet another language like Java? To answer this, let’s dive into the history of programming and how Java became essential.

In the early days, data in businesses such as hotels and accounting firms was managed manually, which was difficult and inefficient. To improve this, developers created desktop applications using languages like Visual basic and FoxPro. However, this approach had a significant drawback: every time an organization added a new desktop, the application needed to be installed individually on each machine.

Then came the concept of LAN (Local Area Network) or intranet, which introduced the idea of client-server architecture. This allowed applications to run locally across connected desktops. But this was still limited to local networks, not global access.

This is where Java comes in — often referred to as the "Bahubali" of programming languages because of its versatility. If you want your web applications to be accessible globally, you need a WAN (Wide Area Network), which is the Internet. Web applications are typically built using HTML and CSS, but for data interaction and processing, compiled code is required.

The challenge with languages like C and C++ is that they are machine-dependent. After compilation, they generate an executable file (e.g., .exe), but these files vary between operating systems. This meant that a program compiled on one system may not run on another without modification.

Java, however, solved this problem by introducing the concept of platform independence. Instead of generating a .exe file, Java produces a .class file that can be executed on any operating system with the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Java is a machine-independent language, making it ideal for creating dynamic web applications accessible globally via the Internet.