Java is both a programming language and a computing platform. The former allows you to develop applications and the latter allows you to run the applications that you, or others, develop.

Which version of Java should you use in Linux? Learn how to easily switch between different versions with a tutorial from Jack Wallen.

Most of the "mainstream" programming languages—such as C, Java, C#, Perl, Ruby, and Python—can do the same—or nearly the same—tasks as the others.