When comparing CFML vs Java, the Slant community recommends Java for most people. In the question“What is the best programming language to learn first?” Java is ranked 56th while CFML is ranked 73rd. The most important reason people chose Java is:
It makes it easy to debug and to read code.
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Rapid application development
Get a web app up and running fast with stuff built right in to CFML! Frameworks make it even faster but lengthen the learning curve.
Pro Easily query a database
Newcomers can use an html-like syntax to query a database. Advanced developers can use a scripted syntax to execute stored procedures.
Pro Multiple engine implementations available
There are multiple engine implementations available including Adobe ColdFusion, Lucee, New Atlanta BlueDragon, Railo, and Open BlueDragon among others.
Pro Quick document and image manupulation
ColdFusion can quickly interact with PDFs , Spreadsheets to read/manipulate the data. There are a lot of built in functions to manipulate images quickly.
Pro Verbosity
It makes it easy to debug and to read code.
Pro Mature ecosystem
The language and all its tools have enough time to age and they've aged well.
Pro Type-safe
It is easier to catch errors sooner.
Cons
Con Little actual use either in academia or professionally
Con Memory hungry
Running the virtual machine, application server and application itself consumes significant amount of resources.
Con Unnecessarily obtuse and verbose
If you like typing 40 lines of code to open a file, Java is the language for you. If, on the other hand, you’d actually like to get something done, look elsewhere.
Con Oracle
Enough said.
In more detail: Oracle has acquired Java from Sun and continues to surround it with controversy ever since (legendary lawsuit with google, money extortion from the enterprise users etc.).