Web Development / Mobile Development

Java vs. Python: Which Language Should You Learn in 2018

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Python and Java, you’ve probably heard of them both. They are both popular and in-demand programming languages, but which one should you learn first? You’d want to consider things like which language is easier to learn, which offers the better salary and whether the language is in high demand or not. Let’s take a closer look at Java vs. Python in 2018.

Most Popular Introductory Teaching Language

It used to be that Java was the first language taught to new developers. No more. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the University of California, Berkeley, both of which have top-ranked Computer Science departments, have recently switched their introductory courses to Python. Eight of the the top CS departments in the US have also followed this example.

Here are some reasons this could be the case:

Java:

class HelloWorldApp {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println("Hello World!"); // Prints the string to the console.
    }
}

Python:

print("Hello World")

When it comes to Java vs. Python in 2018, it seems like Python is pulling ahead, but read on to find out why it’s not so clear cut.

Most Popular Language

The TIOBE index looks at the popularity of various programming languages. This is determined by looking at a number of variables including the number of skilled engineers in a particular language world-wide as well as the courses offered in that language. This information is combined with popular search engine results for the different languages on Google, Bing, Yahoo!, Wikipedia, Amazon, YouTube, etc. For June 2018, same as June 2017, Java was ranked as the most popular language.

Image Source: https://www.tiobe.com/tiobe-index/

Some benefits of Java include:

So far, it seems to be a draw: both languages have benefits. Certainly Python is worth learning as a beginner and Java has massive popularity and utility. Let’s see how the languages compare if we look at job demand and salary.

Job Demand: Java vs. Python in 2018

Indeed, the world’s largest job search engine, gives one a good indication of the most in-demand jobs. Stackify took the 50 most popular jobs from the TIOBE index and searched for them on Indeed. Here are top five most in-demand languages as far as job vacancies go. Java tops the list, though Python is not far behind.

Image Source: https://stackify.com/popular-programming-languages-2018/

Salaries: Java vs. Python in 2018

How do Java salaries compare with those offered to Python developers? Read on to find out.

According to Indeed, the average Java salary in the US is $101,077 per annum, as of June 2018. This is based on salary estimates from 14,973 employees over the past 36 months. A Java developer at Apple would earn, on average, $114,212 per annum. However, a Python developer would come out with an even healthier salary of $114,490 per annum, on average. And if you secured a job at the Bank of America as a Python developer, you’d emerge with a whopping $153,895 per annum!

In closing, it’s hard to draw a definitive conclusion when it comes to Java vs. Python in 2018. Python salaries appear slightly better, but Java jobs seem to be in higher demand. Whereas Python is easier to learn, Java has a higher popularity ranking.

If you’re interested in learning Java, consider signing up for HyperionDev’s Mobile Developer Bootcamp, which is taught online via mentor support. You can become a fully functional Android developer in six months. If it’s Python you’re after, check out HyperionDev’s Full Stack Web Developer Bootcamp. Alternatively, if you’re keen to learn both Python and Java, why not sign up for the HyperionDev Software Engineering Bootcamp which covers both.  Both Full Stack Web Development and Software Engineering are taught online over six months and are fully supported by expert mentors.

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