Java vs JavaScript: What are the differences?
Non-tech people or who are new to the world of programming often get confused between Java and JavaScript. But their only commonality is the word “Java.” These two programming languages have their own benefits, similarities, and differences. This article on Java vs JavaScript will differentiate between the two programming languages in the following sequence:
- Introduction
- OOPS
- Platform
- Syntax
- Compilation
- Learning Curve
- Scope
- Support
Introduction
Java | JavaScript |
Java is a programming language invented by James Gosling and developed by Sun Microsystems. It was first released in 1995, and several new versions have been launched since then. | Brendan Eich at Netscape, Inc. created this programming language in 1990 and named it “Livescript” initially. Later on, it was renamed to JavaScript. |
OOPS
Java | JavaScript |
Java is an object-oriented programming language. It uses objects to perform actions based on relations between objects. | JavaScript is an object-oriented scripting language. It uses the objects to perform actions similar in Java. |
Platform
Java | JavaScript |
 Java applications and programs run in Java Virtual Machine (JVM). Also, you need to install JDK and JRE. | JavaScript applications run on a web browser. there is no need for any initial setup. |
Syntax
Java | JavaScript |
The syntax of Java is similar to C/C++ programming language. It uses classes and objects. | The syntax of JavaScript is similar to C language but it uses the naming conventions similar to Java. |
Compilation
Java | JavaScript |
Java programs are compiled and interpreted as it is a scripting language. | JavaScript is only interpreted as it is a scripting language or a plain text code. |
Learning Curve
Java | JavaScript |
Java has various online forums, documentation and community support. You can learn this language to build various applications. | JavaScript also has extensive documentation and online resources. You can learn JavaScript to build web applications and websites. |
Scope
Java | JavaScript |
Java uses block-based scoping. In this, the variable goes out of scope once the control comes out of a block. | JavaScript uses function-based scoping as the variable can be accessed in the function. |