JVM Languages: A Comprehensive Comparison
🎯 Java: The Enterprise Standard
Key Features:
- Static typing with verbose but clear syntax
- Excellent performance and maturity
- Massive ecosystem and community
- Industry standard for enterprise applications
Example:
public class Person {
private final String name;
private final int age;
public Person(String name, int age) {
this.name = name;
this.age = age;
}
public String getName() {
return name;
}
}
⚡ Kotlin: Modern Android Development
Key Features:
- Null safety built into type system
- Concise syntax with modern features
- 100% Java interoperability
- First-class Android development support
Example:
data class Person(
val name: String,
val age: Int
)
🔧 Groovy: Scripting and Build Tools
Key Features:
- Dynamic typing with optional static typing
- Powerful metaprogramming capabilities
- Excellent for scripting and automation
- Popular in build tools (Gradle)
Example:
def person = [
name: 'John',
age: 30,
toString: { "$name is $age years old" }
]
🚀 Scala: Functional Programming Power
Key Features:
- Advanced type system with functional programming
- Excellent for concurrent programming
- Popular in big data processing
- Strong academic and data science adoption
Example:
case class Person(
name: String,
age: Int
) {
def greet = s"Hello, I'm $name"
}
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Java | Kotlin | Groovy | Scala |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typing | Static | Static | Dynamic/Static | Static |
| Null Safety | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Performance | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Very Good | ⚠️ Good | ⚠️ Good |
| Learning Curve | Moderate | Moderate | Easy | Steep |