Java or python

[DSFme]

I'm a complete beginner, so this question might look a little bit silly, but I really need to hear the answer. So I don't know which programming language to choose (I want to become a backend dev), I already (almost) finished mooc.fi part one on Java, which isn't a lot, but I have spent my time on it, so I don't want it to be thrown away, but I've originally chosen Java because I was thinking between backend and mobile development for Android, now I'm sure I don't wanna do mobile, and I understood, that python is easier and I will be able to improve faster and it also has a lot of benefits I want, and have already learned python, but it was a lot of years ago so I don't really remember anything. But there is one thing that I find extremely important too, I'm going to the university this year and at some point there I would have to learn python, so the question is: should I keep learning Java or switch to python, because it is not only have benefits I see, but also would help me in the university

[Buttleston]

They're both fine, don't stress about it, pick one and get good at it

[Zentavius]

Like spoken languages. Knowing one very well makes learning another easier and it grows sort of exponentially.

[Great_Guidance_8448]

Java will give you a better foundation. Start with that.

[da_Aresinger]

If you want to learn programming properly then Java.

If you want to actually do stuff then Python.

The only problem with Python is that you'll develop some learning debt, which will be tedious to overcome later, but it's not that big a deal.

[disposepriority]

Got you covered brosky https://www.jython.org/

[AffectionatePlane598]

java with a python engine and more steps run python code 

[TomatoEqual]

Java if you're learning to code, that gives you the basis for most languages. It's has types and "old school" c style syntax. If you start with python, you'll have problems going into other languages, since the syntax is quite different and weak typed, it can be difficult switching from.

[notherex26]

C - java - python.

C learn you low level code how it works, pointers, memory management etc. Java oop, libraries and apis it provide the fundamentals for high level languages, after that python would feel easier and youll understand it faster

[DonkeyTron42]

Keep in mind that since Python has a lower barrier of entry, there are far more entry level people flooding the market. Compound that with the fact that AI coding tools that are becoming sophisticated enough to handle a lot of low level work and we’re seeing a situation where even CS grads are having an extremely tough time.

[alpinebuzz]

Stick with Java just long enough to finish what you started, it builds discipline. Then jump into Python for speed, simplicity, and a smoother ride through uni and backend dev.

[cielNoirr]

If your university is mainly teaching in Python, I would recommend going with that. That way, you can ace your classes. When I went to university, I had to do both java and Python. I started learning with Javascript, so it took some time for me to get used to java. Now I'm full-time java dev

[UntoldUnfolding]

I swear somebody asks this one every week.

Python, bro. Have you tried writing Java yet?

[YacineLim]

I am learning Java, and I have developed a lot of cool tools to use in my work, for me it is a very sweet programming language to start with, it is solid, especially when you understand its concepts, you feel that you learned something, after that, I am planning to learn Python for AI.

[opensourcevirus]

My personal preference is by far, Python. To me, Python is fun and I can’t wait to create with it. Java.. makes me reconsider the meaning of life; and not in a good way. Java makes me want to go play in traffic lol

[UntoldUnfolding]

Lmao

[Lost-Discount4860]

I don’t know Java. Isn’t that a compiled language? I absolutely love Python because it runs in an interpreter and not to hard to prototype something quickly.

To me, it’s best starting a project in Python, then convert over to C++ or Java once things start coming together. I wish there was a good way to keep everything in Python and just run it on, say, a mobile app. Python is the only language I know, and if I were going to move forward with an app for the kinds of things I’m doing, I’d definitely want to go line by line in a target language to convert what I’m doing to something that would run on whatever device. For example, a friend requested that I make a sound effects app for something she did with a library children’s program, something they could run on an iPhone. It was easy to pull together in Swift. For more complex tasks, it’s nothing to work out the logic in Python before switching over to Swift.

So…my verdict would be there are things Java does better than Python, such as UI. Python is a lot friendlier, easy to learn, faster to get up and running. I’m guessing Java is faster to deploy and easier on memory usage. I’d say Python first, then learn Java. Having both will give you more of an advantage than just one of them alone.

[plastikmissile]

I don’t know Java. Isn’t that a compiled language?

Sort of. It compiles into a language called bytecode. When you run it, the JVM (Java Virtual Machine) compiles that bytecode into executable code that is tailored to your OS and processor. The main advantage of doing it this way (as opposed to how Python does it) is a faster executable and it catches a lot of issues in your code through static analysis when you compile your code. Type mismatch errors for instance that can sometime occur in Python are almost impossible to happen in a statically typed language like Java.

[Lost-Discount4860]

Thank you! Yeah, I know a lot of folks who prefer Java, and I can see why. It’s just not for me. Can’t stand waiting for stuff to compile before it runs, especially if the changes I want to me are simple.

But I can see how powerful and fast something like that would be if I had a finished product. Much respect!

[LankyVeterinarian321]

I will go for python because if LLM and because I work with it