Why the future is poised to be the era of Java enabled IoT

In 1995, James Gosling did the computing world a huge favor: he introduced Java as a core component of Sun Microsystems. Ever since the digital world has changed a lot. But, Java still continues as a platform that is unrivalled by other programming languages. In fact, studies conducted by Jelastic in May 2015 revealed that 56.80% of the world’s programmers still use Java than other languages like PHP, Python, Ruby, NodeJS, etc.

From being just another programming language in college to lingua franca of the computer industry, Java has now evolved into a reliable operating platform that will not fade out with time. The recent release of Java SE8 to make it compatible to the requirements of Internet of Things only assert the significance that Java will have in shaping the future world.

The oncoming days of IoT

What is IoT? Simply put, IoT stands for Internet of Things. It is a futuristic technological concept that will bridge the physical world to the virtual world. It will bring a whole range of physical devices like home appliances, automobiles and smart devices together with the help of remotely controlled physical sensors. IoT can provide real-time information of what is happening or what is bound to happen at a given place at a given time through data analytics.

IoT figures worth counting on:

• In 2012, only 10% of the global car population were connected to the Internet. By 2020, the rate is estimated to reach a whopping 90%.


• IoT will result in at least 15% cost savings in the food and beverage/hospitality industry through use of connected devices in kitchens, rooms and maintenance operations.


• The launch of estimated 1.9 billion smart home devices will bring to foray a range of smart homes. Google and Samsung have already invested hundreds of billions in acquiring technologies that will equip future homes with smart devices.

Java’s bonding with the IoT phenomenon

To reduce the gap between physical and virtual worlds, embedded devices should be equipped with seamless connectivity and high-end data processing capabilities. They should also be provided with the ability to respond promptly as the situation requires. To achieve all this, a reliable, robust and fail proof programming platform is required, and Java fits the bill perfectly.

When Java was first launched in 1991, Gosling outlined the following as its exclusive features:

“Simple, object-oriented, distributed, interpreted, robust, secure, high-performance providing, multithreaded and dynamic.”

Java forms the perfect bridging for two diverse mediums

IoT needs all of the above in abundance to make things work perfectly. To make ingenious devices work in conjunction with software commands, there should be a proper connect between the two mediums. Java programmers have at their disposal an endless collection of APIs, configurations and scripts that can be used to create embedded apps that will devices work they are supposed to.

Using microcontrollers, gateways, physical sensors and other technologies widely used in healthcare, home automation, manufacturing, etc. it is possible to control devices anywhere. Since Java has been following the concept of code once, use everywhere since day one, it is the ideal programming platform that IoT can ask for.

Java’s Virtual Machine Technology

Most embedded devices, or at least a large proportion of the futuristic ones will not have screens. This makes it challenging to compile the code using one device and deploy it on another without compatibility issues. With Java, the problem of cross-platform compatibility is eliminated. Java programmers can easily develop code on their desktops and deploy it on destination devices with the help of Java’s Virtual Machine technology.

Java: The once and forever king of Internet Programming

With a thriving programmers community with more 9 millions in population, Java’s presence cuts across all cross-section of digital devices like desktops, mobile, tablets and hybrid devices. A large number of businesses around the world have also based their operations on Java. Java’s stability, security and robustness makes it an ideal choice for IoT.

The oncoming future led by IoT will definitely offer young IT aspirants tremendous career options. Of course, Java does have competition from other programming languages, but for those with who equip themselves with specializations for meeting IoT requirements, the future is limitless.