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Which language is best, C, C++, Python or Java?


I have used each of them for 15-20+ years. There is no best. They have different strengths and weaknesses.

C and C++ require a lot of discipline because you have to do memory management yourself.

C++ is extremely powerful but also very complex.

C and C++ are "dangerous" because, if you are not careful, your program can access and modify data that it is not supposed to touch.

Python is elegant and designed to be easy to use and read. It has the least distractions when it comes to syntax.

The syntax of C, C++ and Java look somewhat similar. Python looks different, it  uses indentation instead of {} to group code.

Python comes with "batteries includes", that means it has a lot of functionality build-in in the standard library.

In Python there is 'one way to solve a problem'. On the other end, in C++ there are way more ways to solve the same problem. This added choice can distract you form solving the problem.

Java has the best IDE support (e.g. eclipse or IntelliJ)

C and C++ are also statically typed, but the preprocessor can add a level of complexity that can make it difficult to be sure what actually happens.

In terms of speed C/C++ are fastest, but for most problems Java is very close in speed. Python can be slow, but if needed critical parts can be written in C. On modern execution speed is rarely the limit - cache behaviour, memory and disc access are the limits.

If you want to learn programming, I would learn python first, then Java, then C and finally C++.

I personally would not recommend C++ because of its complexity. However, if your are disciplined and have a strict set of rules for a project, C++ can be fantastic.

I would use C only for low level stuff, like writing device drivers.

Java is good for large projects, provided you write good APIs and you are carefully modularizing your software.

Python is good for small projects. If the team and the software gets bigger, it can become hard to maintain unless you have a very good test coverage.

Reply by Michael Scharf

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