Java vs Javascript - why learn Java?

[confuzzled]

Okay. All I wanted to do is make writing web pages better, so I began to learn Java. I already use HTML/CSS and wanted to learn the next step.

I have already invested a fair amount of time learning Java. I enjoy Java. I have a very long way to go.

But when I started I never even realised that Java and Javascript were different. But so it seems, that Javascript is really the language to learn for web development.

After learning such a language, I wanted to get up to speed with JQuery, then maybe PHP. That is my kinda learning plan.

So did I make a big mistake learning Java? Or is Java where I want to be? Should I drop Java and learn Javascript instead... given my goals? Or given I have already started Java is it better to keep going with Java first?

Please help!

[Kor]

You made and still make some confusions.

From the point of view of the execution place, the web languages divides in two groups: server-side (runs on the server) and client-side (runs on the user's machine - on the browser, more precisely).

1. Java (trough JSP), PHP, ASP(.NET), Perl... are server-side languages
2. JavaScript, VBScript, AppleScript, ActionScript ... are client-side languages

JQuery is one (from several, like Prototype, MooTools, Google API, Yahoo API, ...) of the JavaScript structured libraries. It is a JavaScript Framework. That means, in fact, that JQuery is JavaScript, thus you must learn JavaScript before using JQuery or whichever other JS framework

So: you want to work within the Web applications? You need to know minimum:

1. Content language: HTML, XHTML, HTML5
2. Presentation language: CSS
3. Client-side languages: JavaScript
4. Server-side languages: PHP
5. Relational database management systems: MySQL
6. Other techniques: AJAX

You may also (or alternatively) need of ASP.NET, if you intend to work with the MS technologies.

Even it is not widely used these days, Java can be used for Web applications. As I said: trough JSP :

http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/ja...jsp/index.html

I think that the most server-side combination used these days is PHP/MySQL, probably because both are open source.

[confuzzled]

Thankyou so much Kor!

That answer means so much to me! I feel confident now of what I should be doing. I am really grateful.

I am disappointed that I was on the wrong track by starting to learn Java, yet then again by doing so I have gained an understanding of how (the basics of) programming works, if/while/for statements and methods etc, which I am sure will be useful down the track. And at some point I will return to Java, as you point out it will be useful for server side, but at the stage I am it is not the best use of my time. I will miss it lol.

I was aware JQuery was an extension/library of a language but thought it was Java and I'm glad you set me straight on that too.

Again, I can't tell you how glad I am that you answered in the manner you did, thankyou.