Features of Java

1. SIMPLE: Java is simple especially compared to languages like C, C++. Java doesn't allow pointers, which was a complicated concept in C/C++. Java also doesn't allow operator overloading, goto statement etc. Java is easy to learn and its syntax quite simple and easy to understand.
2. OBJECT-ORIENTED: Java is object oriented language means no program can be written without a class. An object oriented programming language needs to necessarily have classes and object. A class is a type of objects and an object is an instance of class.
3. PLATFORM INDEPENDENT: Platform Independent means a program made for one platform will also work on any other platform. A platform is a combination of a system (computer), operating system and other packages with that system. Unlike other programming language such as C,C++ etc which are compiled into platform specific machines. Java is guaranteed to be write-once, run anywhere language. On Compilation Java program is compiled into bytecode. This bytecode is platform independent and can be run on any machine, plus this byte code format also provide security. Any machine with Java Runtime Environment can run Java Programs.
4. DISTRIBUTED: This feature of Java was found to be very useful. Because of being platform independent, a Java based program can be distributed over internet and hence run on any platform (system) in the world. This feature of Java has made many things possible over the internet.
5. DYNAMIC: Those things that happen during the compile time are called as static while those things that happen during the execution time are called as dynamic. Java has more dynamic features compared to C++.
6. MULTI-THREADED: Java multithreading feature makes it possible to write program that can do many tasks simultaneously. Benefit of multithreading is that it utilizes same memory and other resources to execute multiple threads at the same time, like while typing, grammatical errors are checked along.
7. GARBAGE COLLECTED: An object which is no more in use is automatically thrown in garbage by JVM. Thus the memory allocated to an object is automatically made free and available for other variables or objects. This removes the requirement of destructor as it was required in C++. In C++ the memory allocated to an object was to be made free by a destructor. In Java it is automatically done, hence garbage collected.
8. ROBUST: Java has a very good inbuilt exception handling capacity that makes a Java program robust. Also, Java does not keeps the authority of memory allocation and de-allocation with the programmer. JVM automatically allocates and frees up the memory allocated for an object. Hence a software made on Java will not crash so easily as it would do on a C/C++ based software.
9. SECURE: When it comes to security, Java is always the first choice. With Java secure features it enable us to develop virus free, temper free system. Java programs always runs in Java runtime environment with almost null interaction with system OS, hence it is more secure.
10. INTERPRETED: Java programs are said to be interpreted. Java programs are converted into a special byte code. This byte code is interpreted by the JVM. JVM interprets the byte code generated by the Java compiler. By interprets, it means that the JVM converts the byte code into the machine understandable code.
11. PORTABLE: A program written in Java is portable i.e. it can be carried over anywhere on any computer. This is because the Java program is platform independent and hence can work on any computer.
12. HIGH PERFORMANCE: Java enables high performance with the use of just-in-time (JIT) compiler.
13. SCALABILITY: Java based programs are scalable over a huge number of systems besides computer. The team of Sun Microsystems Inc. had mainly developed this programming language tool for programming the systems used in consumer electronics like washing machine, microwave oven, etc. Hence this programming language can be used even in such independent systems and not just computers. Thus Java is said to be scalable over all systems.