Bruce Dias 
You either love or hate Java. For better or worse, it used to be a cross-platform standard for a very long time. Businesses used to love it, and developers used to hate it. And most of them probably still do. But it’s funny to see Java still holding strong in an age where new programming languages show up almost daily. Whatever your opinion is, Java has a big role in cross-platform mobile app development.
Write Once, Run Anywhere
The promise was – write once, run anywhere. The reality was somewhat different, but let’s not make this article about bashing Java. We all know developers have a love-hate relationship with it. The bottom line is, that it works – kind of. Java was one of the first major languages to try the whole “write once, run anywhere” approach, more or less successfully. Even when you install it, there’s a “Java runs on 3 billion devices” disclaimer to remind you how powerful and ubiquitous it is.
Part of the reason why Java is good at cross-platform is because there are plenty of components out there to piece together what you need. Whether you’re pushing out horizontally or building up vertically, Java adjusts. It’s solid, especially when handling key areas like core business logic or data storage.
Now, does this mean you’ll avoid rewriting the guts of your code every time you want a little extra speed or reliability? Mostly, yes. Platform independence is one of Java’s quirks that’s both useful and, let’s face it, taken for granted in web development. You write code on your own setup, and it’ll run on almost any device or operating system. You put in the work once, then watch it do its job everywhere. So when it comes time to refine your web app’s speed or efficiency, you will not need to upend your whole codebase.
Java’s real strength is in its JVM. It’s a middle layer that takes your code and adapts it for the machine it’s on, so you don’t have to rewrite everything for different platforms. It’s a bit like having someone who’s fluent in every language, making sure your words make sense no matter who’s listening. The online gaming industry is probably one of the best-known examples of cross-platform solutions being needed, and online Canadian games were once almost exclusively run on Java, just like the majority of online games around the world. Nowadays, they have survived in the form of mobile apps, especially Android apps which are developed in Java.
Java is Resilient
Java has been around for almost 30 years. Too long? Maybe. But it still holds strong as one of the go-to languages for programmers everywhere. It used to be literally everywhere, and that is one of the reasons why it’s hard to get rid of it, even though, objectively, we have better options these days. Another thing worth mentioning is the community which is very active. Go to StackOverflow and see how many questions revolve around Java. It refuses to die, and that’s part of the charm. But obviously, that has nothing to do with its cross-platform nature.
Android OS is perhaps the biggest reason why Java is still relevant today. With Java as Android’s core, it’s no wonder developers pick it up when they’re diving into mobile app creation. Now, if you’re a developer focusing on web app performance, each tweak you make in response time, thanks to Java, is about streamlining code rather than overhauling it. And that translates to fewer hours on the invoice.
Of course, Java frameworks like Xamarin and JavaFX help when developing cross-platform mobile apps. Xamarin offers tools to develop for multiple platforms with just C# and .NET. It throws in things like code sharing and automated testing. JavaFX, on the other hand, is an open-source and mainly focused on desktop and mobile apps. With JavaFX, developers create user interfaces that are visually organized, and it leans towards building interactive and engaging UIs. Are frameworks even necessary? It comes down to what you’re aiming to build.
Each option has its perks. In the end, the real win here is that, as your mobile app grows and performance expectations creep up, you might find you’re coding less to get there.
