Java is a high-level, object-oriented programming language that was designed with portability in mind. It allows developers to write code once and run it anywhere, making it one of the most popular programming languages in the world.
Java's most famous feature is Write Once, Run Anywhere. This means that Java source code is compiled into platform-independent bytecode, which can then be executed on any system that has a Java Virtual Machine installed.
Java is fundamentally an object-oriented programming language. It follows four main principles: encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and abstraction. These principles allow developers to create modular, reusable, and maintainable code by organizing data and methods into classes and objects.
Let's look at a simple Java program. This Hello World example shows the basic structure of Java code. Every Java program must have a class, and the main method serves as the entry point. Notice the use of curly braces, semicolons, and the System.out.println method for output.
To summarize what we've learned about Java: It's a powerful, platform-independent programming language that follows object-oriented principles. Its Write Once, Run Anywhere capability, combined with simple syntax and robust features, makes Java one of the most popular programming languages for developing enterprise applications, web services, and mobile apps.