Golang vs Java: The Right Choice for Your Web App Development in 2024

Table of Contents

Overview Golang vs Java

Starting with the Go vs Java Overview, Go is a programming language that is precisely statically typed, compiled high-level in nature, and designed at Google by ‘Robert Griesemer,’ ‘Rob Pike,’ and ‘Ken Thompson.’ However, Java is a programming language that is high-level, class-based, and object-oriented in nature, designed at Sun Microsystems by ‘James Gosling’ to have as few implementation dependencies as applicable. Now, considering Java vs Go features, both languages are almost equally efficient with their respective set of features. Let us have a look at them:

Features of Golang

Features of Java

Golang vs Java Similarities

Java was first released in 1995, whereas Golang was released in 2012. Both tech stacks have made a significant place in the tech marketplace quickly and will surely see a substantial upsurge in the coming years. Though Java was introduced long before Golang, however, both the programming languages Java and Golang share important similarities such as:

• Both Go and Java are C-family languages, sharing the same kind of syntax
• Both are compatible to be used for server-side programming
• Both possess concurrency features that allow them to execute the blocks of a program simultaneously.
• Golang and Java, both programming languages, have cross-platform functionality.
• Also, both of the languages use Garbage Collectors for Memory Management.

Golang vs Java Comparison Table

We have considered a brief recall of both Golang vs Java languages and a few similarities both programming languages share. However, before we jump onto the in-depth comparison between the two, let us first glimpse a tabular comparison between these two languages.

Golang vs Java - In-Depth Comparison

Golang and Java share several similarities, and both are high-performing server-side programming languages. However, the differences between the two are similar to the others. Now that we have covered the similarities and illustrated the comparison table. Let us proceed with a detailed comparison to help you make the right decision.

Popularity

When it comes to popularity, Java popularity already takes the sweep, being the sixth most commonly used programming language. In comparison, Go falls at the thirteenth position as per the Stack Overflow Developer Survey 2022, which depicts the popularity of Java. Also, as per Google Trends, Java has consistently been above Golang. Though Golang Popularity is going up within the metrics, it still has to travel a considerable run to match the popularity of Java.

Cross-Platform Development

Golang and Java possess cross-platform functionality. We can use codes written in any of these languages to develop web applications for multiple platforms (such as Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, MacOS, and others) with little or no modifications. However, comparing the two, the preferred choice is Java for the developers, but it involves using the JVM to run the code on different platforms, which is time-consuming. At the same time, Golang still needs to catch up to Java as it compiles binary files separately for each platform, negatively impacting the project’s viability and is, thus, more time-consuming.

Performance

Talking about the Golang vs Java Performance, Golang performance is ideally more efficient than Java performance when it comes to efficiency. The reason is that Java involves the JVM, which is crucial for code compilation. Also, Java runs on any platform. However, Go does not require a virtual machine; it compiles the code directly into the binary code before executing the program. Also, the Go language memory management plays a crucial role in its performance. Though both languages have garbage collection, Golang takes the upper hand considering the no-pause policy when dealing with extraneous objects.

Performance Benchmarks

To monitor the Golang vs Java performance benchmarks, we can refer to the data by Benchmarks Game, which depicts that Golang is faster than Java in almost every aspect of the benchmark monitoring. However, the reason behind this stat is the compilation whereby Golang doesn’t rely on the Virtual Machine to compile its code and is directly compiled into a binary file while Java’s dependency makes it slow compared to Golang.

Applications/Usage

When talking about the application, both the programming have their own set of applications to which they are widely suitable; however, considering Golang for microservices and web services as it has a smaller memory footprint and a quicker start time. However, Java is ideally suited for building complex systems, particularly those dependent on one server. Thus, it takes longer to adapt to the industry’s needs and fix the applications’ flaws.

Frameworks

Both Java and Go are significantly popular among developers. One can opt for their preferred language based on their needs and requirements. However, you can also make the final call based on the frameworks available for each of the two languages. The top Golang frameworks are gin, beego, echo, kit, fiber, and fasthttp whereas the ideal Java frameworks are Spring, Hibernate, Struts, Google Web Toolkit [GWT], JavaServer Faces [JSF], and Grails. All these frameworks are ideal based on their respective use cases and if you are a business owner you can opt for one and Hire Java Developers or Golang Developers based on your needs and requirements based on your product.

Memory Management

When talking about Golang vs Java Memory Management, both languages allow automatic memory management. The Java Virtual Machine, or the JVM, automatically handles memory management in Java. The JVM has a garbage collector in the background to free the memory not used by the application. It frees the Java developers from the hustle of memory management as it is all managed by the JVM.

Golang handles memory management differently, as it uses a garbage collection technique. Its garbage collector is optimized for better-performing applications. Besides, it is designed to reduce pauses in the applications, which are vital for apps that need real-time processing. Golang also has a ‘defer’ feature that allows scheduling functions to be executed before a process returns. Reaching resources like memory and ensuring they are properly cleaned up is beneficial.

Error Handling

In Golang, the errors are treated as values that can return from a function like any other value. It has a built-in error type, a simple interface with an Error() method to return the value. The calling function handles the value using the ‘if’ or ‘switch’ statements to check for specific error conditions. At the same time, Java has a try-catch block to handle exceptions. When an exception occurs, the program flow goes to the catch block, which can handle the exception and take appropriate action. Java also has a final block executed after the try-and-catch blocks, regardless of whether an exception occurred.

For Java vs Golang Error Handling, Golang’s error handling is more straightforward and lightweight than Java’s exception handling mechanism. As Golang treats errors as values thus, there is no need for the extra overhead of creating an exception object, throwing it, and catching it. However, Golang’s approach can be less expressive for more complex error-handling scenarios. Thus, we can infer Golang’s Error Handling is lightweight and simpler than Java’s Exception Handling. But Java provides more flexibility and expressiveness in complex error-handling scenarios.

Community

Regarding Java vs Golang community support, Java has a vast community of experienced and skilled developers readily available for assistance. It offers various support services, including building web applications in real-time that are suitable for multiple commercial purposes. Also, the experienced professionals within the community are readily available for assistance and can assess the issues from a 360° perspective.

Golang is comparatively new compared to Java and still has 109k Stars and 16k Forks on GitHub. Precisely, Golang is made for a specific age group of developers that are 18–24 years and who want to stay familiar with the latest technologies, tools, and features. Golang has several resources, including open-source libraries, sample code, and Golang developers. The Golang community is also equally active and readily available for assistance.

Regarding community support, we can say that Java has the upper hand over Golang. However, the Golang community is also active and efficient, but when it comes to numbers, Java takes the higher ground.

Syntax and Ease of Coding

Golang is a statistically typed and compiled programming language with a simple syntax. It doesn’t use parenthesis, brackets, or colons that developers often use at the end of the lines, allowing Golang to offer quick, easy-to-read, and understandable coding. Another reason for Golang being so simple is its relation with English speakers, as it uses less than 25 Keywords to define predetermined actions and internal operations. Also, Golang has a small library, making skimming easy.

Whereas Java is a bit complex as Java is a declarative language that allows you t be expressive. It is an object-oriented language with a vast stretch of libraries. Java requires the developers’ undivided attention, which is okay. However, Java’s syntax allows for flexibility and loose coupling

Code Example

Considering the Go vs Java Code Example; there is an observable difference between the two programming languages. To understand it better, let us individually consider a basic ‘Hello!, World’ program in both languages.

Go Language:

In the above-given example, we can observe that initially, we import the ‘fmt’ package that offers functions for formatted I/O. Then, we move forward to the main function that prints the string ‘Hello, World!’ to the console using the fmt. PrintIn function.

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Java Language Code:

In the Java Code, we define a public class ‘HelloWorld’ then we define the main method that prints the string ‘Hello, Wold!’ to the console using the System.out.printIn method.

As we can see that there are several differences in the syntax of both code examples. However, the result is the same for both programming languages. But, as we can see that Golang’s code is short and more concise, whereas Java requires more boilerplate code.

Pointers and Reflection

Pointers are an integral part of Golang. It extensively uses pointers for managing memory and passing values between functions. As we know, Golang has a simple syntax for declaring and using pointers, and they are dereferenced automatically. However, Java does not explicitly use pointers, but it has references similar to those but not precisely. There are some differences between the two. Java uses connections to refer to objects and their attributes. However, they do not allow for direct manipulation of the memory address.

Now, talking about Reflection is a feature that allows the program to examine and modify its structure and behavior at runtime. Go uses Reflection to inspect and manipulate the type and value of the variables, while Java uses Reflection to examine and manage the structure and behavior of the objects at runtime.

Concurrency

For Concurrency, Java vs Golang are both efficient. However, their approach and the tools involved are different from one another. Java uses threads for concurrency. (a Thread is a lightweight process that runs concurrently with other threads within the same process.) It offers high-level abstractions to manage concurrency, like locks, semaphores, and synchronized methods. These abstractions help control access to shared resources, prevent race conditions, and ensure thread safety.

Golang uses Goroutines for concurrency (Goroutines are a lightweight thread managed by the Go runtime.) Goroutines can be created and executed parallelly, allowing efficient concurrent programming. Golang also offers built-in concurrency features like channels that present a powerful communication mechanism between Goroutines.

Regarding the difference, Golang’s Goroutines are managed by the Go runtimes, whereas the operating systems govern Java’s threads. It collectively allows Go to have better performance and scalability under certain circumstances, like managing many connections in a network application. However, Java’s thread system is better suited for applications that need extensive control over thread execution.

Golang vs Java: When to Use What?

Both Golang and Java offer a significant arena of different use cases. While, Golang is well-suited for creating web applications, microservices, and backend systems that require high traffic. Also, you can use Golang for blockchain development, cloud infrastructure, and data science. However, talking about Java is widely suitable for various industries and applications. It is also optimal for developing enterprise-level applications like banking and financial systems, CRM software, and ERP systems. Also, it is widely used for building web apps, mobile apps, and games.

Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How is Java different from Golang in terms of Development Tools?

Java possesses a vast ecosystem of development tools, including IDEs like IntelliJ and Eclipse, build tools like Gradle and Maven, and testing frameworks like TestNG and JUnit. However, Golang has a comparatively smaller, but growing tooling ecosystem with IDEs like GoLand, and build tools like the go command-line tool. Both languages also support popular version control systems such as Subversion and Git.

How is Java different from Golang in terms of Platform Support?

Java has been around for a long time and has a large ecosystem; its platform support includes Windows, Linux, macOS, and mobile devices. Java allows support for other platforms, like embedded systems and mainframes. Golang offers support for Linux, macOS, and Windows, including support for other platforms, like FreeBSD and NetBSD, but it is still not as extensive as Java’s platform support.

Java vs Golang which offers better Type Safety?

Java is a statistically typed language in nature. Therefore, the types are checked at compile-time, making error detection more effective in development. However, Golang is also statistically typed but has a more flexible type system, making it more familiar with specific data types like JSON and XML. Though the strict type system of Java is beneficial for large codebases and complex systems, the flexible type system of Golang can be bhelpfulwhen working with dynamic data.