Open source scripting languages for the JVM like Groovy, JRuby, and Jython have become popular alternatives to programming languages like Java, C#, and C++ as well as traditional scripting languages like Ruby, Python, Perl, and PHP. Developers are increasingly turning to this new generation of scripting languages because code is faster and easier to write, read, and understand. Scripting languages for the JVM also provide the power of the Java platform without having to write Java code.

• Which languages are easiest (and hardest) to learn?

• What types of development are best suited to each language?

• How do the top languages compare in terms of ease of use?

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of each language?

• Which open source frameworks and other packages work best with each language?