Java or Python: Which is Better For Blockchain?

Blockchain is regarded as one of the most disruptive technologies to have appeared on the tech scene in recent years. For developers to enter the blockchain sector, it is important for them to have a profound understanding of the programming languages that can be used for blockchain.

Having said that, in this article, I will provide you an outline of the Java and Python programming languages and which among the two can be considered for blockchain development.

Java Programming Language For Blockchain

The moment we hear the term 'Java,' the features that come to our mind are reliable, sturdy, and safe, and these are absolutely true. Java is highly popular and versatile that helps design performant Ethereum clients and tools to use in production environments. Given the size and maturity of its development community to more technical reasons such as speed, extensibility, and maintenance, it is the best language especially for large applications such as an Ethereum client.

Though it is a known fact that high-level languages like Python have become more popular and that JavaScript is mostly used by back-end developers, the use of the Java programming language in the developer community has still not eroded like languages such as C++ and C#. Monitoring tools like JMX or Java Mission Control help easily manage applications.

Let us now look at some of the features of the Java language that make it suitable for blockchain.

Notable Features of Java

Here are some of the significant features of the Java programming language.

1. Java is Fast

Java can be as fast as Python, Ruby, Go, or C with its modern Garbage Collection (GC) algorithm and the just-in-time compiler These are needed for applications that need major throughput.

2. Easy Maintenance

There are several Ethereum-specific reasons for using Java. Though Java may involve writing more code, it saves time and effort as maintaining code is made easier as Java is static, typed language. The Java Virtual Machine offers code portability and flexibility as it is well supported across platforms such as mobile, desktop, and embedded.

 

3. Java Supports Pluggability

Java offers a pluggable architecture as it has a library for anything including cryptographic constructs that may be employed. In spite of the upfront cost of the well-structured code,  the strong typing, the number of Java libraries, and the wide adoption of interfaces make a pluggable architecture possible.

Java is also considered to be a prime language in the blockchain space. So, there are great opportunities for Java developers in the world of blockchain as the demand for them is only growing higher.

Having learned about Java, let us now move on to understand why Python would be useful for blockchains.

Reasons For Considering Python

Let us now list down the reasons that make Python a suitable language for a blockchain project.

1. Easy to learn and advanced- Python is a language that guarantees stability and reliability. Thus, one can be assured that their project is not based on a language that will become obsolete at any time. The gentle learning curve of Python allows developers to master it quickly and also helps less experienced developers to contribute to blockchain projects.
2. It is simple and minimalistic- Its simplicity is derived from many features. For example, the white spaces in Python denote code blocks. This means that developers need not worry about adding keywords or curly brackets. Developers can use Python to code a blockchain without the need to write much code.
   
3. Python can be compiled or uncompiled- Python simplifies the lives of developers as it is a scripted language and doesn't need to be compiled. Python also offers the option of pre-compiling the code and this makes it helpful for developers to work in blockchain. Python also free coding packages specific to developing blockchains.

In general, while choosing a language for a blockchain, it is important to keep the following factors in mind: security, scalability, and performance. The network and code must be able to tackle the growing query list as anyone can add data to the blockchain. Python is a versatile and speedy language that will be useful for blockchain as anyone must be able to add to the chain without the transactions being processed in parallel. Python lets developers create a simple blockchain in less than 50 lines of code. Especially for a blockchain that is addressing an Internet of Things case, Python is recommended. It eases the job of building blocks and linking them together. The fact that Python already has a huge list of readily available libraries is another reason to consider Python.

 

Conclusion

Both Java and  Python offer their own specific features and benefits for blockchain development. To learn more about online blockchain certifications and become a blockchain expert, check out Blockchain Council.