Java Defeats C# in Five of Six Categories

SANTA CRUZ, CA, November 4, 2003 - When asked what the best language for various Web services features, Java led in 5 of 6 categories, according to a new Web Services Development Survey from Evans Data Corporation. The categories that Java took top honors in were: Flow control; Syntax; Object/memory separation; Easy access to libraries, and Tight integration with XML. The one category where Java placed second was Tight integration with SOAP just behind Microsoft’s C#. The new report is the result of 400 interviews with developers actively working on Web services projects and was conducted in October 2003.

“This report is an in-depth look at the state of art in Web services development today, and offers intriguing analysis about where we are today, and where we're headed. For example, it shows that when it comes to Web services, Java still rules --- it's Web services developers' favorite language,” said Preston Gralla, Evans Data’s Web Services analyst. “In a world in which Web services are playing an increasingly important role, the survey offers valuable hard data about the technology rather than idle prognostication.”

Other notable findings from the new report:

• Developers are not interested in having Web services authentication reside on a vendor’s proprietary systems. The most selected response to the question of where authentication information should be primarily stored and coordinated showed that developers prefer a single, independent organization, followed by the information being stored at several affiliated companies. Storing the information at one vendor company was last with only 13% of the responses. A quarter of respondents choose “Other”.
• Web services projects are an in-house development project with only 14% of projects relying on third-party consultants. Sixty eight percent of respondents said that they have no plans to ever use third-party consultants for their Web services projects.
• The most important characteristic of a Web services development environment is that it adhere to Web services standards, cited by 31% of developers, followed by the integration of multiple architectures, 24%, and easy integration with Web application servers, 23%. The W3C is the most well-known Web services standards body with 89% of developers knowing of it. Developers are evenly split over whether Web services will be hurt by multiple organizations setting different protocols, 44% think it will hurt Web services and 42% think it will not.

Evans Data Corporation provides regularly updated IT industry market intelligence based on in-depth surveys of the global developer population. Evans' syndicated research includes surveys focused on developers in a wide variety of subjects.

Copyright 2007 Evans Data Corporation. All other company names, products and services mentioned in this document are the trademarks and property of their respective owners.

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