# FINN's Java-first strategy for choosing programming languages

DevFeed: [FINN's Java-first strategy for choosing programming languages](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/leaving-the-tower-of-babel-31970.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://tech.finn.no2012/09/04/leaving-the-tower-of-babel/>)

Author: Morten Lied Johansen

Published: 2012-09-04T09:48:05Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Finn.no](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/finn-no.md>)

Topics: [Java](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/java.md>), [Programming](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/programming.md>), [Development](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/development.md>)

Tags: [java](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/java.md>), [javascript](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/javascript.md>), [objective-c](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/objective-c.md>), [programming](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/programming.md>), [ruby](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ruby.md>), [scala](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/scala.md>)

## AI overview

FINN discusses its Java-first strategy for major public applications while considering whether to expand its programming-language portfolio. The article also describes an internal poll about developers' language experience and preferences, though the supplied text ends before reporting the poll's results.

## Source excerpt

Here at FINN we use mostly Java for our day-to-day work, but we do have some applications and modules written in other languages. We currently have code in Java, Ruby, JavaScript, Objective-C and Scala, supporting things as diverse as testing frameworks and iOS-apps. Recently there has been some discussion with regards to what we should be using for new projects, as each team of developers start suggesting that they should use something they think would be easier and more effective. The arguments against are based on how easy it would be to recruit new developers who know these new technologies, how well it would perform under our kinds of loads, and wheter the assumption that we can be more effective is actually true. Our strategy is firm on this point, that experiments can be done, but for major applications serving the public, we should be using Java for the time being. We are however considering if it's time to take a second look at our chosen languages, and see if we should expand our portfolio. This strategy is founded on a wish to reduce the size of our technology portfolio, so that we don't have to spend time and effort to bring developers up to speed when they switch teams. There's also a higher chance that new hires will be familiar with Java, while other technologies would often require a period of training when they first start. During these discussions, we created a quick poll and sent it out on our internal discussionboard. The poll asked questions like "How long have you worked as a developer?", "Which language do you use for your day-to-day work?", "If you were free to chose, which language would you use for your next project?" and "Which programming languages do you know?". Our definition of "know" was very open in this poll, lowering the bar to allow people who had maybe written a single example program, and understands a bit of code could check the box. Out of the nearly 100 people that work with development, 56 answered. We can assume that the pe