Instead of rekindling the battle, I will highlight the advantages and features of Java and will try to explain why certain corporate sectors such as insurance and banking prefer Java over .NET.
Open source– 7 years ago, in 2006, Oracle surprised developers by making Java an open source solution. That means, anyone can use Java to build his custom software without paying any licensing fee to Oracle. On the contrary, .NET is a licensed product, manufactured by Microsoft and in order to develop an application, paying the license fee is mandatory.
As a result, companies having low budget choose Java for developing their Java Web application development projects. The biggest benefit is that you can ask your in-house programmer to develop a Java based corporate solution without spending a single extra penny. As the person works for you and Java is free, there is no additional cost.
Besides, as Java is an open source solution, developers can do anything they want to. They can develop what they want and create custom apps by using several Java supported developer tools available online. This is something you can’t do with .NET. If you decide to use .NET, you have to deal with the tools provided by Microsoft and utilize VB only.
Platform independent– How about developing an application that runs on Windows, Linux and Mountain Lion without any issue? Imagine software that can work in your Blue-ray player as well as in your cell phone? All these things can be done using Java because this versatile programming language was created with a single goal, “write once, run everywhere” and thus, once you write custom Java codes, it can run across various platforms.
Therefore, if your business application is destined to run on various operating systems, Java is your unquestionable choice.
As Java is a platform independent programming language, coding can be a little difficult but considering the freedom it offers to you, this should not be a real problem.
Ideal platform for “internet of things”- The “internet of things” refers to a vision of future when everyday gadgets, cars, homes and cities will have artificial intelligence and stay connected to the internet all the time. Java can be the ideal harbinger of “internet of things” as Java can run across devices, operating systems and browsers without any compatibility issues. This versatile programming language will help these things communicate with each other.
This is a capability that .NET does not offer. Sadly, it supports only Windows platform and thus, can’t help in connecting different devices that use a range of software and hardware.
Active community– As there is a large developer community out there to help you, you can post your queries on java forums and get immediate solution from fellow programmers. There is no need to pay them anything for the help. On the contrary, Microsoft charges a certain amount of money if you approach them for a solution.
Security- Java is much more secure than any other programming languages. Automatic null checking, verification of byte code and run time security checks make it a very secure platform for custom app creation.
I guess now it’s clear to you why banking and insurance sector based companies prefer Java for their custom software/application development.
Author Bio: Boni Satani is associated with Cygnet Infotech which offers Java Web Application Development Services and J2EE Development. Get in touch with him over Twitter @bonirulzz for consultation or help.