Choosing a frame is not easy when you start thinking about your future as a software developer, especially if you are a beginner. Mastering a programming language takes a lot of time and effort, which is not worth wasting. And it’s stressful to believe that the wrong choice could lead you to a job where you have to change your knowledge base all over again.
Let’s switch to the positive side. Since you’re here, your options are limited to these two: Java or. NET. That’s already a huge step forward. Both options are already something of a win. Java and .NET are both well-established and used for enterprise-level development. That means you can get a job in a large company with lots of sources and possibilities.
Let’s catch a quick look at the job market. In April 2020, Monster.com listed over 41,000 job openings for “Java Developer” and 8.5,000 job openings for “.NET Developer.”
According to Glassdoor, the average salary estimate (regardless of level and location) Java developer is around $79,000, and for an ASP.NET/C# developer, $76.5,000.
However, don’t jump to conclusions. Next, you may want to know which of the two is better for you personally and more relevant to the future of technology. Let’s take a closer look at both options.
| Old-fashioned Java
Right now, Java is one of the most popular technologies in the world. It often ranks first in various reviews, and that’s probably the main reason why developers stick with it.
It is relatively easy to learn, and there are many free training resources available. In addition, there is a huge community that can help beginners during the learning process. Java is suitable for almost all kinds of projects: web applications, mobile applications, cloud computing, etc.
| Java applications
Java is an accessible technology, just like Oracle JDK (Java Development Kit) or Oracle OpenJDK, which is used to create Java software. It also allows you to work with other programming languages such as Kotlin, Groovy, or Scala, which would be relatively easy to learn as an add-on. And as we just mentioned, the job market is full of offers for Java developers from all over the planet. Does that sound good?
But wait – underneath every ideal is a slippery slope. There are some drawbacks:
| Empty
Maybe you’re thinking of starting your path in Java by writing a little “Hello World” program. Wrong. These days, before you can learn Java for yourself, you need to understand the licensing of this platform. Otherwise, you might find yourself in a situation where you have to pay Oracle a few thousand dollars for licenses before you can deliver your work to a client. And how they differ from the community-led AdoptOpenJDK. What is the binary code license, and how many rights you have under the GPLv2+CPE license? Several official FAQs seem to explain the licensing situation (one on Oracle’s site and another on Java.com), making it even more confusing. You can also easily find many blog posts, questions on Quora (such as “Is Java still free”), and even videos on the subject.
The question is: do you want to get involved in all this?
| Outdated code
Many long-established companies have written something in Java. Eventually, a young and passionate Java apprentice might end up with a job working on outdated code instead of new and significant technology. For example, a library that a company has been building for 20 years may be too expensive and time-consuming to modernize.
| Strong competition
In addition to the vast number of job vacancies, there is an even more significant number of applicants. That’s because almost everyone who looks at all the rankings sees Java at the top of the list – and here we go! Another thousand new entrants choose Java.
A more promising option: the .NET framework
There is another viral free open source development platform that may serve you better – .NET. Learn why it might be a more promising option for you here.
Overview of the .NET 5 platform
1| Free, open and multi-platform
Interestingly, five or six years ago, all of the features mentioned in the previous section would have meant that Java would have been a better choice because .NET was then entirely under Microsoft’s control and only ran on Windows.
This situation has changed entirely in recent years.
The reports have turned, and now Java is increasingly under Oracle’s control, while Microsoft’s approach is quite the opposite. .NET is now an open-source platform with no license fees. Developer freedom is one of the core values of the forum. So far, Microsoft seems to be delivering on what it preaches.
The latest version of the .NET platform – .NET Core – is compatible with all major operating systems: Windows, Linux, and iOS, while the .NET Core tools are open for immediate use, and many plugins are available for creating and modifying applications and third-party tools. The development process is even more convenient thanks to several libraries explicitly designed for.
2| All types of applications
The .NET framework (especially its Core version) allows you to develop almost any type of application, whether it’s an enterprise-level web application, desktop or mobile software, a gaming project, or even an IoT service or artificial intelligence solution.
Thanks to WebAssembly technology and the Blazer framework, .NET can also be used to create client-side applications that run in a browser – web applications whose client- and server-side code is written in C#, so there’s no need to use JavaScript.
3| Fast progress and Regular Updates
The .NET framework has evolved continuously over its 20-year history.
Since the first release of .NET Core in 2016, we have received a significant update almost once a year.
In November 2020, Microsoft planned to release the next major update to the platform – .NET 5. It is meant to take the best of the previous versions and provide a unified platform for all development tasks. In addition, Microsoft presented a roadmap for the .NET platform at its 2019 annual conference that gives a clear idea of what we can expect and when.
4| High performance
Applications built in Java or .NET/C# have had the same level of performance for years. However, Microsoft and many other contributors have invested significant effort in optimizing this aspect, and it continues to improve. For example, the ASP.NET Core Web framework allows a single server to handle 7 million requests per second. And according to TechEmpower’s tests, ASP.NET Core is far ahead of all Java web frameworks.
Here’s another excellent example of the performance that can achieve with the .NET platform – an example of a superfast network driver written in multiple languages. Understanding a driver written in C# is almost the same as C and Rust, slightly better than Go, and far ahead of all other high-level languages, including Java.
5| C# – modern and versatile
The .NET system was initially designed to support many programming languages. The most commonly used languages are C# (pronounced “see sharp”) and F# (which offers a more functional approach).
The most popular and most popular language is C# – a general-purpose and entity-oriented programming language. It is easy to learn and widely used for software development of all kinds, from enterprise solutions to low-level IoT projects and games. It simplifies many features that are too complex in Java.
Despite its long history, C# has kept up with the times. Many features such as LINQ queries, lambda statements, async/await operations, and more were introduced in C# long before other programming languages. Java still lacks many features that have been available in C# for years.
Limitations of .NET
Like we said about Java, every ideal always has its downsides. .NET is still not good enough for client-side development. JavaScript is still considered the best option. The same is true for ML (Machine Learning) and NLP (Natural Language Processing) applications. Python is number one here.
Package
Between Java and .NET, you have two solid options for enterprise-level development. Although Java is now number one in all classifications, it is highly competitive in the job market and has been slow to establish itself in its respective markets.
| Summary
The choice between Java and .NET is a choice between two solid enterprise-level development options. Although Java is now at the top of all rankings, it is very competitive in the job market and slows in relevant updates.
The other option, .NET, is an open-source, object-oriented solution that can develop a wide range of applications and have a clear future roadmap. Coming in 2021 is .NET 5, an update that will bring together all the best features from previous versions. NET. It will make learning easy and manageable and make modern technology even more attractive.If you are looking for a net developer or java developer there are many java development companies that help you in choosing the right programming languages.
