What is Java used for
The motto of Java is "write once, run anywhere." And it's true. You can find Java code just about anywhere. It is used in Android app development, web development, game development, smart devices, and so much more.
Java in Android Development
Java is the official language for Android mobile app development. In fact, the Android operating system itself is written in Java. Even though Kotlin has recently become an alternative to using Java for Android development, Kotlin still uses the Java Virtual Machine and can interact with Java code. Today, Android has 85% of the global market share for mobile devices. Therefore, developing Android apps is probably the most popular use of Java just because of the prevalence of Android phones.
Desktop applications
Java has been used to create desktop applications since its inception. AWT, Swing, and JavaFX are Java libraries that give desktop application developers pre-built components like buttons, menus, and form fields that they can use to build full-featured desktop applications.
Game development
Java is a free, open-source language. Many game developers use it because they can get started without paying any licensing fees and because of the powerful Java 3D game engine, JMonkeyEngine. Some video games written in Java include Tetris, The Sims 3, Space Invaders, Street Fighter II, and Contra. One of the best-known Java games, Minecraft, was created by a single developer.
Big data processing
Java and big data go hand in hand. Many of the top applications used for big data are written in Java. Hadoop is a Java framework that helps data scientists process large datasets. Spark is a tool that data scientists use for stream processing, machine learning analytics, and other big data processes. Storm handles real-time data streams. All of these frameworks are written in the Java programming language.
IoT applications
Java was originally designed to run on all types of hardware, making it one of the main programming languages used for the Internet of Things, or IoT. IoT refers to a network of physical devices that connect and exchange data over the Internet. The devices include smartwatches, wearables, smart TVs, smart lighting, and more.
Enterprise Development
Java is used heavily in enterprise development to build intranets and internal software for all types of businesses, big and small. Java Enterprise Edition (Java EE) is specifically designed for enterprise development. It comes with network applications, web services, and a scripting environment that make setting up an intranet with Java simpler.