There are a variety of programming languages that may be used in the contemporary development environment. The two general-purpose languages that are commonly used nowadays are Python and Java. Both are very adaptable and are frequently used for business tools, gaming, multimedia, and online and mobile apps.
Python and Java will be compared in this post along with their similarities and differences. We’ll also look at how different languages work with WordPress sites, maybe guiding you toward the best choice.
a quick look at java
Java is an object-oriented programming (OOP) language that uses classes, which indicates that it adheres to the object-based programming paradigm. Data and code may be present in an object. Properties hold data, whereas methods have the code that executes the actions.
Business solutions, embedded systems, and mobile and web server apps are frequently developed using Java.
Because Java is a platform-independent language, you can write your code once and execute it practically everywhere, even on the application hosting platform from Kinsta.
a quick look at python
The popular, high-level, all-purpose programming language Python has a concise, legible syntax. As a result, you can accomplish more with fewer lines of code. Python is also intentionally object-oriented.
Python is compatible with several operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is frequently used for machine learning, data science, scripting, data science, server-side web development, and other applications of artificial intelligence (AI).
Python 2. x and 3. x are the most common versions used by developers. In comparison to Python 2, the latter supports the newer, cleaner Python syntax and offers superior third-party module support.
Python programs, like Java, may operate on desktop computers or on distant servers that can be accessed online. Python-based frameworks like Django and Flask are available on our application hosting platform allowing Kinsta users to swiftly deploy their Python apps.
Python vs Java: Key Differences
Despite having some significant differences, Python and Java have many similarities. Let’s contrast the two.
Python vs Java: Ease of Use
Python is easy to use; all you have to do is download and install it on your computer. Once completed, you may use any terminal window on your machine to launch the Python script (the files have an a.py extension). Pip, a package manager included with Python, may be used to install external programs.
The learning curve for Java is steeper than for Python. It is more challenging to set up and install since you need to install the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) and Java Development Kit (JDK) in order to locally compile and run the code.
python and java performance
Because Python employs dynamic binding while Java utilizes static binding, the latter is likely to be quicker when compared.
Consider invoking a function as an illustration. When Python calls a function, it takes the function’s name in string format and looks for the callable body in the dictionary. Every time a function is called, this takes place.
Java, on the other hand, just searches its virtual method table to find the Nth slot. Java often has fewer abstraction layers than Python, which makes it faster to execute.
Python and Java Syntax
Without a question, one of the simplest programming languages to learn is Python. Its syntax is incredibly straightforward, succinct, and broadly comparable to English.
phone_no = {"person_1": "040200110"} // declare some data in a dictionary
print(phone_no) // print data
The syntax of Java is more complex. Classes and OOP, including terms like public, main, protected, etc., are necessary for this. Additionally, because Java is tightly typed, every variable must have a type declaration that corresponds to it.
Additionally, Java applications use more lines of code than programs in many other languages. Here is the identical Python program’s Java equivalent:
import java.util.HashMap;
public main Code {
public static void main(String[] args) {
// declare a HashMap
HashMap<String, String> data = new HashMap<>();
// add data to HashMap
data.put("person_1", "040200110")
// print HashMap with data
System.out.println(data)
}
}
Java is a class-based language, therefore in order to store your data and methods, you must build a new class. As a result, even a straightforward application could need extra code. To declare the variable and assign its data in the example above, two lines were required. In Python, a single line of code does both tasks.
In the Java code above, we also imported the hash map class to aid in the creation of our data structure. Built-in libraries in Java need to be imported in order to be used.
Python and Java Libraries
Python is one of the main languages for data scientists and engineers. Some popular libraries/frameworks for Python are:
- tensorflow (for machine learning)
- scikit-learn (for working with complex data)
- django (for building web server apps)
- request (to make HTTP requests)
- PyTorch (for machine learning)
- apache spark (for Data Engineering and Data Science)
- selenium (for browser automation and web scraping)
- graph tool (for statistical analysis of manipulations and graphs)
- flask (for building web server API)
- theano (for numerical calculations)
Java provides libraries for a wide range of uses in addition to being often used to create desktop programs. Its libraries have a strong focus on web and mobile development. Following are a few well-liked Java libraries:
Using Python or Java with WordPress Applications
HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP are the four main markup or programming languages used by WordPress. The front end of the website is designed using HTML and CSS. PHP is used on the backend for server-side scripting and communicating with the database, which might be MySQL, MariaDB, or something else. JavaScript is used for frontend programming.
Through the WordPress Rest API, you may connect with WordPress sites in addition to PHP and even if those server-side programming languages are not natively compatible with WordPress.
Using the WordPress API
Applications may communicate and exchange data with a WordPress site by using a set of endpoints provided by the WordPress Rest API. Typically, JSON object format is used to store this data. As a result, you may build server-side Java or Python apps that can instantly access the WordPress Rest API.
By using the appropriate APIs in your app, you may create, read, update, and remove data on a WordPress site. Here is an example of a cURL request for starting a new WordPress post:
curl -X POST --user username:password -d '{"title": "New Blog Post", "content": "In this post, I'll...", // other post fields }'
To obtain data from a WordPress site, build a new one, or edit an existing one, you may send queries to the WordPress API from the Java backend. All you have to do is send a request to the relevant API endpoint. The WordPress website’s whole post archive may be retrieved using the Java code below.
URL url = new URL("https:/my-domain/wp-json/v2/posts");
HttpURLConnection con = (HttpURLConnection) url.openConnection();
con.setRequestMethod("GET");
The WordPress Rest API allows you to connect to WordPress using Python. The code that follows spits out all of the posts from a WordPress website (which does not require a password-protected login).
import requests
response = requests.get('
print(response.json())
Additionally, you may run Python scripts from your WordPress website if the Python compiler is set up on the server.
Java is comparable. You must have JDK installed on your local computer in order to execute Java in WordPress. then you may run a php application like the java command or javac (windows shell)
functions.php,
Python has a tiny edge over JavaScript owing to the simplicity of employing scripts, even though both languages use APIs to update WordPress sites from their native backends.
Summary
Both Python and Java are multi-purpose general-purpose languages with a substantial library ecosystem. Although both are quite straightforward to use, Python’s syntax is simpler and easier to learn and apply, whereas Java requires a little more experience.
Python is the best language for data science and machine learning, although Java is more often used by those who create embedded software and mobile apps. Although they may both be used to create applications that communicate with the WordPress API, neither Python nor Java is a good choice for developing the core of WordPress.
This implies that the best option will rely on your degree of comfort and the particulars of your project.
After selecting the finest language for your next project, there’s a strong possibility that Kinsta’s developer-friendly application hosting platform will be the greatest place to share your work with the world.
I am an experienced writer and technology enthusiast contributing to Hostao Blogs. With a degree in Computer Science and a background in web hosting, I simplify complex tech topics for all readers. My articles cover web development, cybersecurity, and emerging digital trends. I'm dedicated to making technical subjects accessible and providing valuable insights. Beyond writing, I'm an avid tech explorer and outdoor enthusiast, always at the forefront of digital advancements.