From the beginning, Java, including the technologies related to it, was designed for use in web development. After start-up difficulties due to the low support levels of earlier browsers, the then very low bandwidth of private internet connections, not-to-mention the limited computing power of PCs at the time, the programming language finally experienced its breakthrough at the end of the 1990s. At the beginning stages of the World Wide Web Java applets were popular – these are applications written in Java that can be run using appropriate runtime environments in the browser and can interact with the user without having to send data to the server. Due to their resource dependency they weren’t very practical. With the introduction of mobile devices that don’t support browser applets, the interactive web elements have completely disappeared from the scene.
While Java flopped relatively quickly in the frontend, the programming language has become a staple on the server side where the application scenarios vary quite a lot: From servlets for server-run applet counterparts to complex enterprise solutions like middleware, banking software, or large content management systems, a wide variety of Java technologies are more in demand than ever, budget allowing. Because of its advantages in terms of cost and time, the PHP scripts language is used on about three-quarters of all websites. For web developers who work with Java, Spring offers not only the required structures but also a considerable simplification of the work process. The advantages of Java web development include, but aren’t limited to, platform independence, the ability to integrate with enterprise software and processes, and a clear structure.