Scala Vs Java - What are the key differences?

There are many OOPs or object-oriented programming languages across the IT world. Object-oriented programming works on the concepts of polymorphism, abstraction, inheritance, encapsulation, etc. Moreover, it enables users to build various objects and also build methods to handle these objects. These objects include data and code in the form of fields and procedures. Here, in this way, Scala and Java are also the most popular coding languages with OOPs structure that implement such real-time entities. In this blog post, I’m going to explain to you the many key differences between Scala vs Java coding languages.

Further, in the Scala Vs Java battle, both languages are developed with the purpose of object-oriented and functional support features. There are many similarities in both languages like both are OOPs based. They both run on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) where the Java source code compiles into the byte code through JVM. Moreover, these languages use the same memory allocation or space, type system, and run within the JVM platform. Both are strongly and statically typed languages. 

Moreover, they don’t offer a NullPointerException facility. These languages are multi-model and are imperative with simultaneous working capability.

What is Java?

In brief, Java is an object-oriented multi-paradigm, coding language, and a Sun Microsystem product but later acquired by Oracle. A coding language but it offers a computing platform for developing apps too.

What is Scala?

Scala is also an object-oriented coding language with statically typed principles. It mainly targets the JVM platform or Java Virtual Machine but also useful for writing software programs for different platforms. It also includes the runtimes like JS and Native-Scala.

Now, let us move into the main content of this blog i.e., the key differences between Scala vs Java coding languages.

Difference between Scala vs Java

There are many key differences between the Scala vs Java coding languages. Some of them are as follows.-

Scala vs Java performance

The performance of these programming languages is comparatively different. Some coders claim that Scala is a little bit faster than Java programming with 20% fast processing. Optimization in Scala language makes code compilation much faster than Java coding.

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Scala vs Java Code Compactness

The code compactness in Scala vs Java languages makes the Scala language a winner. In the Scala language, the code writing is very compact and concise. It writes 1/3rd of the code written in Java language. In comparison to this, in Java language, it needs to write large code.

Scala vs Java - Framework support

Scala offers support to the frameworks like Play, Lift, etc. But java language supports spring, Grails, and many more frameworks. 

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Scala vs Java - Compilation

In Scala vs Java, code compilation is the common thing but both of them have much difference. Scala takes much more time to compile code into a byte code than the Java program. In Java, this practice is much faster-using a javac compiler for code compiling. For Scala, there is a Scala compiler for this. 

Scala vs Java – IDE support

When it comes to IDE- Integrated Development Environment, Java has a number of IDEs available to support development. The important IDEs that Java programming uses are IntelliJ, NetBeans, and Eclipse. However, IntelliJ is also considered as an IDE for Scala where the other two also support it but not that much. 

Scala vs Java- Programming Model

The programming model or type that Java uses is multi-model, oops programming. Where Scala on the other hand is also a multi-model and functional language. Java also supports various functional coding features like type inference, lazy evaluation, immutability, etc. 

Learning curve

Comparing to Scala, the Java language is much simpler and easier to learn. However, Scala provides support to the operator overloading features but also uses nesting that makes it much complex. Hence, it clears that Java programming is much easier to learn in this regard.

Thus, we have seen some of the differences between the two languages in Scala vs Java. Now, we will look into some key points for quick remember.

Scala vs Java Comparison (Keypoints)

• Java is a multi-model programming language where Scala is a statically typed language.
• Scala variables are mostly immutable by default but Java variables are mutable by default.
• Java programming doesn’t support lazy evaluation where Scala supports the same.
• Scala includes static members but java language doesn’t.
• Java programming provides backward compatibility whereas Scala doesn’t offer the same.
• Scala codes are less readable due to the nested version but the Java codes are easy to read.
• Operator overloading support is there in Scala as it is useful in building custom DSL- Domain-Specific Languages. But in Java programming, there is no such type of support.
• Source code compilation is very slow in Scala where the Java compiler is much faster to compile code into byte code.
• The interface that Scala use is the – Traits, similar to Java 8 interfaces. In Java, the interfaces of Java 8 bridge the gap among the classes and interfaces.
• Moreover, the codes are very concise and compact in Scala but in Java, the codes include large chunks.
• In Scala vs Java, Scala needs URL rewriting where in Java it doesn’t require.
• Scala provides support for different inheritances through classes except through abstract class. In Java, it supports various inheritances through interfaces instead of classes.
• Comparing to Scala, Java offers the best and full assurance of bug-free codes wherein Scala is not assured.
• There are missing static keywords in Scala language codes but Java includes the static keyword.
• The style of writing code is compact in Scala where in Java the codes are written in a long format.
• Scala treats the methods or functions like variables whereas Java treats them as objects.
• In Scala, all operations are executed through method calls but in Java, all operations are treated in variety instead of method calls. 

Scala vs Java Features

There are many good features of both of them. Let us discuss the various features of both languages differently in Scala vs Java.

Features of Scala

Scala is OOPs based functional language.

Very concise and powerful with faster-growing nature as per demand.

Statically typed in nature that allows users to perform Java code.

Supports various frameworks like Play, Lift, etc.

Features of Java

It follows the principle of writing once and runs everywhere for code that it runs through any platform.

The coding language is built for designing OOPs applications at a large scale.

It is a very powerful, robust, fast, and highly secure coding language.

Moreover, the Java language is multithreaded with automatic memory management.

Due to network-centric language, it provides an allocated computing facility. 

Thus, we have seen a few of the important features of both languages. Now, we will move further to look at the advantages of Scala and Java. 

Advantages of Java

In Scala vs Java battle, here are the important advantages of using Java language.

• Java language has detailed and precise documentation.
• There is a huge number of skilled Java developer’s available in the IT market.
• It has excellent and high performance.
• The language offers code reusability along with enables to build standard programs.
• Allows simultaneous operations within a program due to a multithreaded environment.
• Also, it includes a huge display of third-party libraries.
• Moreover, the language provides easy navigation of its libraries.
• Debugging facility is good comparing to others. Allows complete traceability of all errors. And through a double-click on the same, it takes to the bug location.
• Thus, there is less chance of occurring errors in programs. 

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Advantages of Scala

The following are the important benefits of using Scala within the Scala vs Java battle. :-

• Scala is very simple and easy to learn for the Java programmers having knowledge of OOPs concepts.
• This language is designed for apps that are concurrent, resilient, allocated, and message-oriented. Also, the most demanding language for the current program learners.
• It can perform through Java Virtual Machine allowing interoperability with other coding languages.
• The language is more concise, powerful, object-based, and able to grow and design quickly as per demand.
• Having support for many functional programming features provides a lot of flexibility in writing codes for the developers.
• Scala language has low boilerplate operations if the learner knows Java.
• It offers better coding output for the coders. The functional programming here helps to get stability to the application out of the different side effects.
• It has a good and robust reserve of many third-party APIs that are in-built and offers great functions in building apps.
• Hence, there are some disadvantages also held with these languages.

Disadvantages of Scala

There are a few disadvantages of the Scala language.

• It has very limited community support compared to the java language.
• Moreover, the language is not easy to adapt to.
• The code compilation process takes much time.
• Also, the backward compatibility is low in Scala object-oriented language. 

Disadvantages of Java

The few disadvantages of the Java coding language are as follows.

• Due to high-level processing and huge memory requirement, the hardware and maintenance cost enhances.
• The Just-in-Time compiler in Java makes the program a little bit slower.
• There is no or lesser support towards low-level coding constructs such as pointers.
• Moreover, the Java programming language doesn’t provide the functions like delete (). This puts in trouble in terms of garbage collection. 
• Through this comparison, you can make a choice of implementing the better language for your IT ops as per requirement.

Conclusion

Thus, we have gone through the various points on comparison in Scala vs Java object-oriented languages. Both have some similarities and some dissimilarities, advantages, and disadvantages. I hope you go the basic idea of both the object-based languages that offer many useful features depending upon the need. Java is comparatively much faster in some points and is a multithreaded language with platform independence. Scala, on the other hand, is also very concise and powerful with the ability to grow with user demands. Finally, it depends upon the requirement and availability of the user to use which language suits them better. To learn more in this regard get into the Core Java Online Training through the IT Guru platform. You will get practical knowledge of the coding language with real-time industry experience from experts.