Top 5 Mistakes of Java Developer

Reasons to use Java

There are three simple reasons why Java should be used:

• Java works anytime, anywhere. If Java was used to create software on one site, the resource adapts and will work on all the others.
• Continuous development. The Java language is preferred because of its many possibilities for performing any tasks and the constant replenishment of these possibilities – by the developers and the community of fans of this language.
• Thanks to it, the language can work on different platforms, put together modules and solve the most unexpected problems.

Mistakes of Java Developer

However, it has its own nuances and common types of errors in java that sometimes baffle developers who made a mistake while programming.

1. Memory Leaks

Java uses automatic memory management to avoid manual allocation and deallocation. But this does not mean that developers should not be interested in how applications use memory at all. However, problems can still arise here. As long as the program retains references to objects that are no longer needed, the memory is not freed. Thus, it can be called a memory leak in java. The reasons are different, and the most common of them is just the presence of a large number of references to objects. As long as there is a reference, the garbage collector cannot remove this object from the heap. For example, you described a class with a static field containing a collection of objects, and a link was created. If you forgot to reset this field after the collection is no longer needed, then the link is still there. Such static fields are considered the roots of the garbage collector and are not collected by it.

2. Forgetting to Free Resources

Every time after a program opens a file or establishes a network connection, it needs to free up the used resources. The same applies to situations where there were any exceptions while operating on resources. Someone might argue that FileInputStream has a finalizer that calls the close () method for garbage collection. But we cannot know exactly when the build cycle will start, so there is a risk that the input stream can consume resources for an indefinite period of time. Especially for such cases, Java 7 has a very useful and neat try-with-resources tool.

This operator can be used with any object that is part of the AutoClosable interface. Then you do not have to worry about freeing resources, this will happen automatically after the statement is executed.

3. Neglecting Existing Libraries

A myriad of libraries have been written for Java, but beginners often do not use all this wealth. Before reinventing the wheel, it is better to first study the existing developments on the issue of interest. Many libraries have been perfected by developers over the years, and you can use them for free. Examples include the logback and Log4j logging libraries, Netty and Akka network libraries. And some developments, like Joda-Time, have become the de facto standard among programmers.

4. Excessive garbage allocation

This happens when the program creates a large number of objects that are used for a very short time. At the same time, the garbage collector continuously removes unnecessary objects from memory, which leads to a significant drop in performance. Here, every iteration creates a new variable, and to solve this problem you need to use a StringBuilder.

5. Ignoring Exceptions

In programming, an exception is the occurrence of an error (s) and various unforeseen situations during program execution. Exceptions can appear both as a result of incorrect user actions, and due to the loss of a network connection to the server, the lack of the necessary resource on the disk, etc. Also among the reasons for exceptions are programming errors or incorrect use of the API.

At the same time, unlike the “human world”, a software application must clearly understand how to act in such a situation. And that’s exactly for this in Java, and there is an exception mechanism. Developers often forget about this mechanism, which can make things easier. In this regard, everything that has been done may not work.

Conclusion

Many aspects of software development on the Java platform are simplified by separating the complex Java Virtual Machine and the language itself. However, extensive features like automatic memory management or decent OOP tools do not rule out the possibility of problems. Java development company Datatextdev also sometimes makes mistakes, but the final product is always of high quality.  Practice regularly, explore libraries, read the documentation. And don’t forget about static code analyzers, they can point out bugs and suggest what to look for.

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