How Can You Use Java For E-commerce Development?

Java has numerous unique features that make it a good choice for building a reliable online store. One of them is the ability to run on various platforms. Java e-commerce allows developers to create large-scale projects, mainly thanks to several Java e-commerce frameworks and CMS that enable faster and easier development of customer-facing websites and applications. It’s no secret that Java has been used to build, e.g., Amazon’s e-commerce site.

Each e-commerce website or application has different needs, so the choice of programming language should depend on your level of digital maturity and the level of customization required by your online store. Java is one of those languages that facilitate the development and execution of programs written in any programming language. Therefore, the primary purpose of using Java e-commerce is to speed up and facilitate the development process.

E-commerce in 2023 has shown the importance of the following trends in e-commerce applications:

• Augmented and Virtual Reality focuses more on reacting to customers’ changing needs.
• Personalized shopping experience.
• Use of chatbots that respond to frequently asked questions and offer customer help. Also, the use of Voice Search has become popular.
• Mobile wallet integration.
• Marketing automation.

What you will eventually add to your e-commerce application strongly depends on your choice of framework. These are the most popular Java e-commerce framework:

• Hybris / SAP Customer Experience

It offers solutions that support both B2B and B2C enterprises, providing e-commerce owners with commerce solutions and marketing solutions, as well as marketing tools (e.g., promotion management). The framework helps companies improve customer communication and benefit from omnichannel commerce solutions. If you are looking for a scalable framework that will give you superior customer insight, you should invest in Hybris.

• Broadleaf

A scalable framework that can easily grow with the e-commerce business. Just like Hybris, it leverages modern open-source technology like Java. It supports using multiple websites, channels, languages, and currencies. You can integrate it with Drupal, WordPress, Zendesk, etc. The framework also includes a powerful promotion engine.

• Elastic Path

A flexible solution that gathers multiple touchpoints within one system. Elastic Path offers several functionalities, like merchandising, pricing, promotions, and order management. The framework is perfect for building cross-platform, meaningful, and consistent experience.

• Apache OFBiz

A community-driven, open-source platform that automates multiple business processes. Apache OFBiz helps companies build advanced, complicated websites with different enterprise-level capabilities. It comes with a wide selection of pre-built core modules like CRM, warehousing, manufacturing, and accounting.

• Shopizer

A headless, open-source stack with a wide range of pre-built components, including inventory, promotions, content management, security, shopping cart, and order flow. Shopizer mainly focuses on mobile devices, but it also includes web tools and REST API to create online stores.

• Kadro Merchant

A full-featured Java-based e-commerce framework that provides many advanced functionalities supporting your business growth. Among the others, it includes hosting, SEO, website design, and implementation of an e-commerce store. It can be used for both B2B and B2C e-commerce websites. Kadro Merchant also has effective 3rd party integrations and fraud detection features.

We’ve introduced the most popular e-commerce Java frameworks. Now it’s time to discuss the top Java-based content management systems that help users manage the content on their e-commerce websites and applications.

A well-documented open-source version of CMS built on the Java Content Repository Standard. It has its own content management and distribution options compliant with W3C standards and search engine-friendly. Magnolia allows a wide variety of add-ons and integrations. This means you can customize almost everything to your exact needs. With access to multiple options, this CMS is best suited for medium to large projects.

This CMS enables you to elevate your e-commerce experience, providing many customizable, reusable components. It includes excellent support for leading productivity applications (like Google or Microsoft tools). It’s not just a CMS; it’s comprehensive information management for businesses. Advanced features require a commercial license, though.

A system that enables an e-commerce enterprise that provides Java development services with various tools for e-commerce store customization. Bloomreach (previously Hippo CMS) is a headless CMS that allows integrations with all the biggest commerce platforms, such as BigCommerce or SAP. It’s currently one of the most user-friendly systems chosen by e-commerce industry leaders like Bosch.

An enterprise CMS that allows simplifying the complex integration requirements. It has an initiative UI and powerful REST API, making it easier for Java developers to manage websites, intranets, and applications from one centralized system. DotCMS has many customizable workflows that can be quickly adapted to your business needs. The CMS seamlessly integrates with 3rd party systems.

An open-source Java e-commerce platform that provides a fully optimized and highly customized mobile experience. It has seven languages available and offers several localization features (such as various currencies). There are also many SEO functionalities, such as canonical URLs or meta tags management.

If you need a powerful and innovative platform to build a top-notch global marketplace and provide your customers with a state-of-the-art experience, consider Mayocat. It’s an open-source CMS that includes inventory management, shipping management, CMS functionalities, and product management. There are also internalization functionalities available.

A professional CMS with excellent business flexibility. It’s a fully customized system you can easily adjust to your needs to start selling online on multiple channels and sites. Avetti Commerce is a turnkey solution that can work as needed. It allows businesses to aggregate suppliers to sell more within one site, as well as start small and then, after tests, scale with the same solution.

Java is a good choice for businesses looking for a programming language for e-commerce. It’s mainly because:

• It’s reliable and highly agile, so you can use it for different projects. It’s compatible with the major groups of browsers and other platforms.
• Java is platform-independent. You don’t need another tool to understand the machine code. You can execute a script written on different systems, whether a Mac or a Windows machine. You just need to install the Java Virtual Machine on your system.
• Java is conducive to the development of both backend development services and frontend aspects.
• Java is efficient for debugging, and its integrated development environment can render expedient and neat processes that streamline web projects.
• The language is object-oriented, so it is feasible to reuse source code. You can create projects with increasing flexibility, and thanks to the OOPs idea, it’s possible to improve data security.

Java is used by many giants like Airbnb (they used Java for their backend development), Paypal (most of its facets are in Java), and Twitter (they made use of Java to make its digital interface smooth). When e-commerce is concerned, Java code can add a fresh viewpoint on everything. It’s become the standard in the Internet e-commerce sector as an efficient, robust, and competitive language that, e.g., simplifies transactions for e-commerce customers which may be a make or break for online retailers. The language provides many native features and is capable of processing higher-order quantities. On top of that, Java code has excellent scalability potential.

Before making a final decision, weighing Java’s pros and cons is essential. Java offers numerous advantages for companies looking to build one e-commerce system. It can be an excellent option for your store as long as you focus on careful planning first. The language’s dynamic capacity, compatibility across major browsers, and versatility make it the obvious choice for rendering an e-commerce site.

So, suppose you think about creating a dedicated and customized website to help you sell online. In that case, Java is one of the languages you should consider, especially when you collaborate with a professional software development company with extensive experience in Java solutions.