Who created the Java programming language?

James Gosling created the Java programming language at Sun Microsystems.

Gosling led the work that produced Java and designed its original language, compiler and virtual machine. He worked with Sun colleagues Mike Sheridan and Patrick Naughton, who helped initiate the project in 1991. The effort began as part of the Green Project, which explored software for consumer electronics and interactive television.

Java was initially called Oak, reportedly after an oak tree outside Gosling’s office. Sun later changed the name to Java, associated with coffee, before presenting the technology publicly. The language used a familiar C- and C++-style syntax but aimed to make programs portable across different machines through the Java virtual machine.

A common mix-up is naming another famous programming-language designer. Guido van Rossum created Python, Bjarne Stroustrup created C++, and Dennis Ritchie created C. Gosling is often called the “father of Java,” although Java was developed by a broader Sun engineering team. His central role is why James Gosling is the canonical answer to the question of who created Java.