It’s almost like asking a bunch of theologians whether God is sovereign or man has free will. The answer, they’ll say, is “yes”. That is, if they choose (or will) to answer the question at all.
It seems that the choice between Java and .NET is about as straight forward. Try googling a few blogs on the question and you’ll find that most “experts” – in other words, techies who work in the field and enjoy blogging on their vocation – say that there’s no right answer. Both Java and .NET are said to dominate the industry. Both are expected to be in demand now and well into the future.
So what’s the difference? Most software engineers agree that .Net is easier to learn for the programming rookie. But it is limited to Microsoft platforms. Java, which works across platforms, is probably the language of choice in Computer Science departments everywhere. And Java programmers can tap into a broader universe of open source libraries, frameworks, and third-party software.
Some rumors have it that Java skills are more in demand than .NET skills. But the truth of the matter seems to be that Java and .NET use varies as much by location as by anything else. Businesses in the San Francisco area, for example, tend to favor Java. And Java salaries are higher than .NET salaries on the west coast.
Here in Northeast Wisconsin, the difference is negligible, with .NET having a slight salary edge, according to odinjobs.com.
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So why should your company choose one over the other? Here are a few guidelines.
1. Existing infrastructure. If you’re a Windows-only shop, using .NET is a no brainer.
2. Vendors. Using Java will allow you to choose from more vendors. But if you already have a strong Microsoft relationship, you’ll probably want to go with .NET.
3. Development and maintenance. .NET can be easier to develop and maintain, but may not offer the flexibility you’ll want down the road.
4. Cost. You need to look beyond the initial price tag and find out whether .NET or Java offers the support you’ll need at a price you can live with.