Java Language Project Initiated at Sun Microsystems

In the early ’90s, Sun Microsystems began the development of the Java programming language, a watershed moment in the history of creative coding as it would be the basis for the upcoming Processing in ten years. This versatile and platform-independent language intended for network computing would transform much more than digital generative art, however. The project, led by James Gosling and Mike Sheridan, aimed to develop a language that could run on a variety of devices, ranging from small embedded systems to large-scale business servers. Java would subsequently revolutionize web development with its “Write Once, Run Anywhere” attitude, cementing its place as a cornerstone of modern software development.