this post was submitted on 14 Mar 2025
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Programming
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As a programming language polyglot, currently using Java for backend services, one of the biggest reasons to use Java is due to the ecosystem. Hardened libraries for web frameworks and everything else under the sun means you have confidence in the language. You have millions of instances running in the wild so detection of issues are found and resolved quickly, corporations backing security audits and a lot of funding to make really good libraries.
I hate the language itself and would never choose it as a language for a hobby project, but i completely understand why Java exists and thrives.
I love Java and use it for hobby projects
I tend to find languages that are best of feature. If i need a fault tolerant, quick to continue service I'd probably pick Erlang or Elixir. If i need meta programming I'm going with Racket or Haskell. If i need a quick and dirty graphical tool for internal use only I'm writing it in tcl/tk or python/tk. If it's system code I'm using C and Assembly.
The problem i have with Java is outside of Android development I never have the use case i have at my corporate job. There we need a widely know language (so we can hire) that is used in a lot of web services (highly tested and bugs caught early and very visible) that has a diverse ecosystem (less custom built code). None of those attributes are needed in my hobby work.
I think Java fits the bill exactly for a quietly known language, used in a lot of web services, with a diverse ecosystem.
Like log4j?
Ecosystems matter for sure, but any java "killer library" should be usable by other programming languages.
What language doesn't have its worts? My point is that Java is the defacto corporate service language so if that's what you're doing chances are the libraries you're using are also being used at FAANG or Fortune 500 companies who will spend the money to vet libraries, bug bounties and pay developers to escalate issues. If you pick a language that has no substantial use in your given field you won't get the same visibility.