Read This Article To Understand the Differences & Similarities Between C# Vs C++ And C# Vs Java. Choose Correct Programming Language For Your New Project:
In the software testing world where we have hundreds of programming languages, it really becomes a very difficult decision to choose a language while setting up a new project.
Once selected it may be very hard to switch from one language to another, hence it’s better to have a clear understanding of the features and limitations of a particular language based on your requirement and the functionality of the application.
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To help you make an informed decision we are here with a simple comparison between the three famous programming languages C#, C++ and Java.
Table of Contents:
C# Vs C++
At a very minute level, both the languages are almost the same. Both C# and C++ are object-oriented programming languages and both can be used for desktop or web applications.
C++ is very useful if you require better control of your PC/server hardware but if your prime aim is to develop a web or desktop application then C# could be your language of choice.
Similarities Between C# And C++
Both languages were made with a different purpose in mind. C++ was introduced in the 1980s and C# was introduced in 2000 as a competitor to Java. C# is a C based language that has similar syntax.
Being a Java competitor C# has more similarities with Java but as it is inspired by C++ it does have some similarities with C# like being object-oriented and compiled language.
Differences Between C# Vs C++
#1) C# Vs C++ Performance
C# is comparably slower than C++ as it has to compile with different libraries. C# applications are mostly used where we don’t have to bother about the performance of the application. C++ is a high-level language that is very fast but not as efficient.
For applications where performance is more important than the efficiency like network applications, C++ is a preferable language.
#2) Target Platform
The C# programming language mainly uses Windows as a platform. C++ supports a wide range of platforms including Mac and Linux apart from Windows.
#3) Types of Application Development
C++ is widely used in performance-oriented application development where interaction with hardware is a requirement like gaming or networking applications. On the other hand, C# is mostly used for developing Web or desktop-based applications and can also be used for developing mobile applications.
#4) Garbage Collection
C++ doesn’t have support for automatic garbage collection whereas C# has an inbuilt garbage collector for managing memory.
#5) Compiler
C++ shows the compiler warning after writing code and compiling them. But in C#, the programmer doesn’t need to worry about compiler warnings. The programmers are informed about errors instantly, thereby allowing them to proceed ahead.
Tabular Comparison Of C++ Vs C#
| C# | C++ |
|---|---|
| Comparably slower. | Comparably faster. |
| Mainly built for Windows platform. | Compatible with multiple platforms including Windows, Linux and Mac. |
| Used for Web or Desktop application. | Mainly used for Performance-oriented application with hardware interaction. |
| Has inbuilt garbage collector. | No support for garbage collection. |
| Compiler warnings are displayed at the time of writing the code. | Need to write and compile the entire code to check for error. |
In a nutshell, as both C# and C++ have different features and advantages, the selection of the language should be done based on the project requirement. If your project requires hardware interaction and performance over efficiency then the most eligible language will be C++.
If you are looking for a language that can be used to develop Web, Desktop or Mobile application then C# will be more useful.
C# Vs Java
Java is an object-oriented generic programming language. It was developed with the motto of write once and run anywhere. C# is also an object-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft mainly as a competitor to Java.
C# is mainly used for building Windows applications and games. It is also used for efficient web development. It is also increasingly becoming famous for mobile development. C# has multiple features and most of the complex tasks like garbage collection or memory management have been abstracted out.
Java is a portable language i.e. code written on any platform will run on another platform. A Java Virtual Machine is created inside the Java Runtime Environment to convert the byte code to machine code. The compiler converts Java code into byte code.
Similarities Between C# And Java
Both these languages are forerunners in the transition from a low-level language to the high-level language. These languages have an inbuilt compiler to compile the bytecode to run on the virtual machine. This allows both these languages to have a syntax that is easy to understand by humans.
Both these languages don’t allow different typecasting and throw an exception at the compile time. The optimized use of memory and garbage collection is another area where both perform similarly. Both Java and C# allow only a single inheritance to remove any redundancy.
Abstraction and Interface are other similar features of both these languages.
Difference Between C# Vs Java
There are a lot of similarities between Java and C# but the basic difference between them is the purpose. C# came as a desire for Microsoft to have its own language similar to Java. Java gets support from a large open-source community.
#1) C# is designed to run on the CLR or Common Language Runtime whereas Java is designed to run on JVM or Java Virtual Machine with the help of JRE or Java Runtime Environment.
#2) Java needs JDK installed on the machine to run. C# requires .Net framework for providing huge libraries for use.
#3) Java is used for developing complex web applications whereas C# is useful for both web and game development. Mobile development with C# is also very popular.
#4) Java is very flexible and highly efficient for cross-platform compatibility. C# is not as efficient when compared to Java in cross-platform compatibility.
#5) Java offers a clear distinction between exceptions like checked and unchecked. On the other hand, C# just offers a single type of exception.
#6) Due to its open-source nature, Java has a vast library ecosystem that helps in developing the functionality quite swiftly. C# libraries are restricted to the Microsoft ecosystem hence they have only limited functionality.
#7) Java is very useful when server-side interaction is the prime functionality and C# also offers server-side language but along with decent programming functionality.
Tabular Comparison Of Java Vs C#
| C# | Java |
|---|---|
| C# runs on CLR. | Java runs on JVM. |
| C# needs .Net framework to run. | JDK is required for Java. |
| C# can be used to develop both Web, and Game development along with Mobile development. | Java is mainly used for designing complex web applications. |
| Not as efficient as Java. | Very efficient, flexible and cross platform compatible. |
| Offers single type of exception. | Offers both check and uncheck exceptions. |
| Libraries development and update depends upon Microsoft. | Open source nature allows continuous development and update. |
| Decent server side performance. | Useful for server side interaction. |
Conclusion
Java being backed by a large community is constantly evolving by creating new frameworks and libraries and even several tools. Some other languages like Groovy have also emerged based on Java. Android, based on Java has also become one of the most popular mobile OS.
C# is mainly used for the .Net framework-based implementations. The applications developed on C# work better with Microsoft environment and with each upgrade new libraries and tools that bring the same efficiency to the other environments are added.
C# and Java have several similarities and quite a few differences. The choice of the language between these two for application development will mostly boil down to platform dependency. But at the end of the day, both have a similar feature and the decision of selection should be evaluated based on use, platform, requirement, and ease of maintenance.
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