Java is a high-level, object-oriented programming language developed by Sun Microsystems in 1995, now owned by Oracle. It is designed to be platform-independent, meaning code written in Java can run on any device that has a Java Virtual Machine (JVM), following the principle of "write once, run anywhere." Java is widely used for building web applications, Android apps, enterprise software, and desktop applications. It supports features like inheritance, encapsulation, and polymorphism, making it suitable for developing modular and reusable code. With its rich API libraries, strong memory management, and vast community support, Java remains one of the most popular and powerful programming languages in the world.