Scala is a statically typed programming language while Java is a cross-platform, network-centric programming language. Scala variables are by default of immutable type while Java variables are by default of mutable type. Scala supports lazy evaluation while Java does not support lazy evaluation. In terms of programming paradigms, Scala inherits the object-oriented model from Java and extends it in several ways.
Scala and Java are interoperable, which means that you can call Java functions directly within Scala code. One of the best similarities of Scala and Java is that you can code Scala the same way you code Java. However, calling the functions of one language in the code of the other can be a bit tricky as both Scala and Java have certain unique programming aspects. As a result, there are indeed code distinctions and paradigm shifts that can make early learning of Scala programming a bit more difficult, but the result is a much cleaner and well-organised language that is ultimately easier to use and increases productivity.
This Spark certification training course helps you master both the essential skills of the open source Apache Spark framework and the Scala programming language. Also, if you are well familiar with Java, C , C and Python, Scala would be the perfect choice for you to enhance your programming skills and get better career opportunities at the same time. Scala is enough to give you a preliminary idea of the power and capabilities of Scala and whet your appetite to learn the language. I somewhat agree with you that Java 8 will bring more parity with Scala and I could have compared Scala with Java 8, but you do agree with me that almost 80 percent of the projects are still on Java 1.6 and below.
Before you start reading this post, if you really want to learn Scala from scratch you can check my previous post as well, which is one of them in this Scala series. It is about the comparison between Scala and Java programming languages taking into account several factors. Scala, got its name after it is a feature called scalability that makes Scala unique from other programming languages. Scala is a pure object-oriented programming language (in the sense that every value is an object) that provides the features of functional languages (in the sense that every function is a value) as well.
The popularity and use of Scala is increasing rapidly, as evidenced by the growing number of vacancies for Scala developers. Some of the more complex features of the language (tuples, functions, macros, to name a few) ultimately make it easier for the developer to write better code and increase performance by programming in Scala. ZDNet cites Scala as one of the most popular programming languages that can get you a job interview.
