Does something being eaiser make it better? Java vs. Javascript
31 Aug 2023
A simple search from google shows that google why Javascript is easier. One reason is that it requires fewer tools and prior knowledge of development kits. Furthermore, from class we saw how you can pass a function in a function in javascript. In the WOD we could return both a string and an int within a function because we didn’t have to declare the function type at the beginning of the function. We also don’t have to declare the variable, all of which we have to do in Java. It seems like unneeded complexity, after all, if Javascript could do it then why doesn’t Java have this level of flexibility?
There’s a want for uncomplicated content
This is just a given right?
No one wants to make anything harder for themselves. How to for dummies is a book series that is popular about learning different topics like Java or Personal Finance that are supposedly made easy. This sort of example shows that people have a crave for anything that requires less effort. It’s also shown in things like “Get abs in just 30 days” youtube videos that are very watched. If the first paragraph is true, and people want to learn stuff that’s easy, why is Java taught instead of Javascript at UH Manoa in intro ICS classes like 111 or 211?
There’s more to learning than being easy
A big reason for learning Java is the massive presence it has among programmers. Java is the second most popular language and with popularity and longevity comes community support. Things like questions on Stackoverflow in Java or more tutorials are always going to be better just from the sheer number of them. Additionally, Manoa is a learning institution first.
Remember how I said how you don’t have to declare things like function or variable types. Things like this are actually beneficial when we are starting out, knowing the difference between int and string is very fundamental, it should be hammered into every beginner. Even something like a function can only return one type which seems like the ability to be inflexible could require better planning from the programmer so there would be no confusion.
There can be no general consensus to which language is better
Of course if there’s one language A that does everything that B does but better, then choose A. But it’s not like that in the real world and in the case of Java vs. Javascript, each has their own specialties.
Javascript’s biggest weakness is that it can only run on web pages while Java can make anything from mobile apps to big data applications and server-side technologies. We as people want to know which one is better as coding takes a lot of time investment but the unfortunate truth is that there’s no clear winner as both achieve different things.
Conclusion!
Does something being easier make it better? Is Checkers better than Chess because it’s easier? Or does the complexity of Chess make it better? Long story short, It depends on the purpose. :)