The fact that you’re here means you’ve probably heard of the Scala programming language before and you want to whether it’s worth learning. Many technical experts believe the scalable language, or Scala for short, is just a modified version of Java. So, it’s basically Java, but better. This may make you wonder which one is worth learning; Scala or Java? Answering this question is a bit challenging. But this blog post tries to explain the Scala vs Java debate by providing basic yet useful information about each. So, if you want to know what Scala and Java are, their use cases, and their job market, this blog post is for you.
What is Scala?
Scala is a powerful and versatile programming language that integrates two programming paradigms; object-oriented programming and functional programming. An object-oriented programming language focuses on objects and classes. A functional programming language emphasizes functions and immutability. So, the first important feature of Scala is that it leverages the benefits of both approaches.
The next important thing about Scala that you need to know is that it uses a statically typed system. This means the compiler performs type-checking when compiling your code. So, the potential errors will be caught in the very early stages of the development process. Also, you don’t need to specify the type of the variable when defining it, as the compiler can infer the type automatically. This is an inherent difference between Java vs Scala, and I will explain it in detail in the upcoming sections.
The next feature that is recurrently mentioned about Scala is that it significantly reduces boilerplate code. Scala’s syntax is designed to be concise and expressive. So, you don’t have to write tens of lines of code to do minimal tasks.
Scala runs on JVM (Java Virtual Machine) and directly uses Java libraries and frameworks. So, you don’t need to recompile your code every time you change your platform. This also means existing Java codes can be integrated into Scala projects, and vice versa. This feature of Scala is very helpful for Java developers who now want to transition into Scala because they can easily use their current Java codebase.
Use Cases and Popular Applications of Scala
We use Scala in a wide range of applications, especially in scenarios where we need both object-oriented and functional programming paradigms. Let’s review some common use cases of Scala:
- Data Processing and Analytics: Frameworks like Apache Spark are written in Scala. So, if you’ve turned to Apache Spark to process large-scale datasets, knowing Scala programming language can be your professional edge. Also, useful APIs for Spark are first released in Scala, and sometimes they have more features compared to their counterparts in other languages.
- Web Development: Scala-based frameworks such as Play are used for building scalable and high-performance web applications. Since Play is written with Scala, it’s influenced by Scala’s functional programming concepts.
- Distributed Systems: Scala is used in the development of distributed systems and microservices basically because it has strong concurrency and supports parallelism. Concurrency and parallelism allow you to manage multiple tasks at the same time.
This unique combination of features and use cases makes Scala a great general-purpose programming language.
What is Java?
Java is a class-based object-oriented programming language, which means it structures programs using objects and classes. As a very popular and widely used language, Java is used in developing web and mobile applications. One of Java’s most significant features is its platform independence. Java operates on the Java Virtual Machine. And Java code is compiled into bytecode, which can be executed on any device with a JVM. So, you can write the code once and run it anywhere. “Write once, run anywhere” is actually Java’s slogan, which simply represents the multi-platform structure of Java. With this feature, your applications run on various operating systems without modification. So, you can build an application and run it on Windows, MacOS, and Android without any technical changes or difficulties.
Another useful option that Java offers is that it has a rich API that includes a wide set of libraries for networking, data structures, graphical user interface (GUI) development, and more. These libraries have pre-built functions for common tasks. So, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time.
Another efficient feature of Java is its automatic memory management through garbage collection. This means it can manage memory allocation while reducing the likelihood of memory leaks. With the help of this feature, Java applications are more stable and perform better.
Use Cases and Popular Applications
As a powerful programming language, Java is used in a wide range of applications in various fields:
- Enterprise Applications: Many developers prefer Java for developing large-scale enterprise applications because it’s robust, scalable, and has a strong ecosystem.
- Mobile Applications: Android, the world’s most popular mobile operating system, is primarily based on Java. So, most Android development relies on Java.
- Web Applications: Programmers use Java for server-side development in web applications, supported by frameworks like Spring and JavaServer Faces (JSF).
- Scientific Computing: Java is also used in scientific applications that require high performance and focus on precision.
The combination of Java’s features makes it a reliable programming language that has proved itself to be secure and helpful in the past decades.
Java vs. Scala: A Technical Comparison
From the very beginning of Scala’s development, it was designed to be a modified version of Java. But what features of Java have been modified in Scala? Now that we know the basic features and use cases of Scala vs Java, we can get to the real question: What is the Scala vs Java debate about? How do these two programming languages differ?
Scala vs Java; Language Paradigms
Java is an object-oriented programming language, while Scala is a hybrid programming language that combines object-oriented and functional programming. So, when coding in Scala, you can still define classes and objects like in Java, but you also have powerful FP tools like higher-order functions, immutability, and pattern matching.
You may say that Java also leverages these features to some extent. So, let’s take one of these mentioned features as an example for a deeper comparison; immutability. Immutability in programming means when you define a piece of data, you can’t change it. So, if you want to modify that piece of data, you need to create a new version of the data with the changes, while the original data remains unchanged. Why does immutability in a programming language matter? With immutability, you can prevent errors in the original datasets and your applications will be easier to debug. Now, both Java and Scala are immutable programming languages. However, Scala is inherently more focused on immutability because of its design. Immutability is a core concept of functional programming. Functional programming relies on immutable data to make sure functions have no side effects. So, the code is more predictable and easier to reason about. So, yes, Java has useful features like immutability. However, the functional nature of Scala makes it more advanced in these features.
Scala vs Java; Syntax and Conciseness
Java’s syntax is easy to read and understand. But unfortunately, it contains a lot of boilerplate code chunks. Scala’s syntax, on the other hand, is way shorter and reduces the amount of boilerplate code you need to write.
Scala vs Java; Performance
When discussing “java vs scala performance,” it’s important to remember that both of these languages run on the JVM. So, they use the same optimizations and garbage collection. However, Scala’s functional features can sometimes lead to overhead that can impact performance. That said, Scala’s compiler is very efficient, and in many cases, well-written Scala code can perform better than Java.
Scala has a powerful collections library and better support for immutable data structures. So, for applications that heavily use concurrency and parallelism, you can expect better performance from Scala. But in other scenarios, performance differences between Scala vs Java are negligible.
Scala vs Java; Tools and Ecosystem
Java has a mature ecosystem due to its longer history. It has lots of tools, frameworks, and libraries. Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) like IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, and NetBeans provide robust support for Java development. Java also has a well-documented ecosystem, and you’ll find extensive resources for nearly any problem.
Scala’s ecosystem on the other hand is growing in size and resources and is not as extensive as Java’s. You can use tools like sbt (simple build tool) and IDE support in IntelliJ IDEA to make Scala development efficient. Also, frameworks like Akka and Play are specifically tailored for Scala and provide powerful solutions for web applications.
In the “java vs scala” debate, there’s no definitive winner. Your choice between Java and Scala largely depends on your project requirements, existing infrastructure, and personal or team expertise. Java’s simplicity and extensive ecosystem make it a reliable choice for many applications. But Scala is a powerful tool for developers who want to write concise and robust code, particularly in data-intensive or concurrent applications.
Scala vs Java; Which One Provides Better Job Opportunities?
Although Java and Scala are similar in some ways, they cater to different needs and requirements. Therefore, each of these powerful programming languages is suitable for different projects and job positions. Let’s see what positions use Java:
- Software Developer/Engineer
- Android Developer
- Web Developer (Java-based)
- Enterprise Application Developer
- Backend Developer
Now, let’s see why Java is suitable for these job positions. As I mentioned earlier, Java has a mature ecosystem and extensive libraries. Lots of useful Java frameworks like Spring and Hibernate facilitate enterprise-level application development. I also talked about the ‘write once, run anywhere’ principle that Java follows. This philosophy makes Java an ideal choice for diverse environments. Java’s performance, which is powered by the JVM, and its scalability are critical for handling large-scale applications. These two features make it a reliable programming language for enterprise solutions. Additionally, Java’s built-in security features make it suitable for applications that require high levels of security.
But what about Scala’s common job positions?
- Big Data Engineer
- Data Scientist
- Functional Programming Developer
- Backend Developer (Scala)
- Software Engineer for Reactive Systems
Scala’s support for both object-oriented and functional programming makes it versatile for complex data transformations and reactive systems. Additionally, Scala has a famous framework called Akka, which provides robust tools for building concurrent, distributed, and fault-tolerant applications. Remember I mentioned Scala’s compatibility with Apache Spark? Lots of data engineers and scientists who work on big data projects choose to code with Scala for this same reason. Scala’s concise syntax and powerful type system help with writing more readable code. And its integration with Java allows it to use Java libraries. So, projects that need a mix of both languages can use this flexibility.
Which One Should You Learn? Java or Scala?
This blog post is not about career advice. But when it comes to job opportunities in tech, there’s one simple rule you need to remember. Securing a position in tech is not about a specific field and the number of its opportunities; it’s about you and your capabilities. So, the choice between learning Scala and Java shouldn’t solely rely on their job opportunities. Go with the one that suits your interests and fulfills the requirements of your projects. And if you become proficient enough in coding with that language, be it Scala or Java, you’ll definitely land a good position.
Conclusion
This blog post provided a short introduction to two powerful programming languages to help beginner developers choose between Java vs Scala. Although these two languages are pretty similar, they have some fundamental technical differences. For example, they differ in their language paradigms, syntax, tools and ecosystem, etc. Whether you want to link your career path to Java or Scala completely depends on your specific needs and requirements. I hope reading this blog post, as well as assessing what you need, will help you make a wise decision.
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Can Scala replace Java?
Scala can be an alternative to Java, especially for functional programming and concise code. However, Java has an extensive ecosystem and long-standing use among developers, and it certainly has some niche use cases. So, these two programming languages can coexist.
Is Scala worth learning in 2024?
Yes, Scala is worth learning in 2024. It’s widely used in data engineering, big data (like Apache Spark), and for its functional programming capabilities. Knowing Scala can open up job opportunities and help with understanding modern programming paradigms.
