Guardian switching from Java to Scala

The web site of the UK newspaper The Guardian is switching development from Java to Scala. The Scala programming language is a general purpose language which integrates object-oriented and functional programming styles. More importantly though for Java developers, Scala code compiles to Java byte code, can interoperate with Java code and runs on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). This makes the migration much simpler as the Guardian's Web Platform Development Team Lead, Graham Tackley, told InfoQ in a recent interview.

The Guardian has been looking to reduce development times and has been experimenting with Scala for a while. It has now moved development of its Content API over to Scala, switching mid-project and making use of the ability to run mixed Java/Scala code in the same project. The core codebase of the Guardian.co.uk site has not been migrated over but parts of the site are driven by Scala based microapps, including Search, Most Viewed and the Punctuated Equilibrium Mystery Bird.

Tackley told InfoQ that "in the last six months, all of the new JVM-based projects have used Scala and none have selected Java. I can't see us starting any new project in Java now, especially given the disappointing feature set and timeframe of Java 7".

(djwm)