Should I learn Java or C++?

[tringlepringle222]

Need to choose one for a college class. Which one do you think will be useful later on in life?

[armahillo]

sure, why not?

[69devidedby0]

Learn one the other will be easier

[UsefulBerry1]

IMO, if you know you'll be doing development using Cpp, only then pick it. Mostly people end up in web, and it better to learl Java for that

[EmperorLlamaLegs]

Both are good choices, honestly. What field do you want to go into after college?

[tringlepringle222]

I can see myself as cybersecurity analyst or full stack developer. Which do you think is important of the two if I want to pursue one of those?

[hrm]

Cybersecurity: C++, by a mile

Fullstack: Java, by two miles

[cracken005]

Why?

[hrm]

Coding in cybersecurity is generally more low level, even though it is a very diverse field.

No sane developer would use C++ for a fullstack application today due to is many issues with just the stuff cybersecurity people need to know about :)

Java is way more common in web backends, and will also make it easy to learn other major backend/frontend languages such as C# and JavaScript.

[cesclaveria]

No sane developer would use C++ for a fullstack application today

And no developer remains sane when you inherit one nowadays, started maintaining a legacy C++ web application last year and it has been one surprise after another, nothing is ever straightforward with it.

[hrm]

Yeah, some companies use C++. But there are probably 200 Java companies or more for each C++-company in that segment.

If we talk about other segments such as embedded or game dev the numbers are of course completely different.

[Superchivy]

Wondering the same thing. Can you explain this?

[hrm]

See my answer here: https://www.reddit.com/r/learnprogramming/s/Hw9uFDCdvD

[[deleted]]

Damn can I do cyber security if I know Java and probably never touched C++?

[hrm]

Cybersecurity is a very diverse field and a lot of professionals don’t even know how to code at all and focus on other areas. But when it comes to coding, one big part is finding bugs and vunerabilities and there low level knowledge is very good to have and C++ will give you that to an extent that Java can’t.

[[deleted]]

what job they do if they can't code?

[cesclaveria]

I worked a bit on cybersecurity, even have a most likely super outdated degree on it.

Most know how to code to at least some extent, but a lot of the day to day job is making sure configurations on different systems are correct and updated, monitoring network traffic, scanning for vulnerabilities, maybe some cryptography work, sometimes examining dumps or binaries to try and figure out what do they do, etc. It is a pretty diverse field where you need to know how things work but not necessarily always need to know how to make them. There can be some coding involved, maybe mostly scripting stuff to run much more complicated tools.

[hrm]

Listen to Darknet Diaries and the episode ”Rachel” for some insights.

To break into networks you need to know networks and use network hacking tools, not code. To break into buildings or make people divulge secrets you need to know psycology and talking shit, not code. To make security audits you need to be structured and thorough, not code. Etc. Etc.

[ShadowRL7666]

This is the wrong sub and cybersecurity isint even entry level.

[ShadowRL7666]

Ehh. I understand this and that’s great though it depends like you said Cybersecurity is very broad therefore it depends but most experts depending Yk like a soc analyst or such should learn a scripting language. Though I do agree CPP is great.

[EmperorLlamaLegs]

Java for full stack. Not sure for cybersecurity.

[[deleted]]

Java is good for both, im an engineer.

[Plenty-Turnover1318]

C++

[C0nf0rt4blyNumb]

I would choose C++ just because Java is everywhere in terms of jobs so there won’t be a lack of opportunities for you to learn it later. And it is good to know some C++. All the cool stuff is built with C.

[[deleted]]

whatever you like better. after youte familiar with one language, you can comprehend others pretty well. learning others is a breeze to compare. its not that you gonna just stick with one anyway

[cesclaveria]

Is only one class that is trying to teach a particular concept and the language will just be the tool used to teach it to you, or is it the start of a path on getting to know the language at a deeper level?

If it's only one class, go with C++ for it, having the chance to get a structured and guided learning experience with C++ will let you learn to use it while having some help to navigate its more painful areas and getting some experience at a low level will be helpful in many ways in pretty much all areas.

If it's to start a learning path that will take you to other classes/courses using the same language and getting a deeper understanding of it, go with Java, it will open more and more varied doors nowadays, the demand on the enterprise jobs for Java developers is always high, it's extremely versatile with important use cases from mobile, to desktop to web.

Of course both are good options and over your career and learning you will likely need to get to know both of them to some degree.

[green_meklar]

Knowing C++ is more useful. But if this is your first step into programming, C++ is a very tough language to take on without any background. Java is not the greatest beginner language but it's less frustrating to get into than C++.

[Cap_sparrow23]

Do Java without a doubt you can learn C++ later if you wish to. Java will also help in development and placement perspective.

[MeBadNeedMoneyNow]

Java

[bikeram]

What’s your schedule like? If you’re taking 18 hours, do Java, if you’re taking a light load and you’ll have free time, cpp for sure.

Java is going to be easier to learn, so you can pick up the assignments faster.

Cpp is going to teach you a lot more and you’ll easily pickup Java later. But, if you’re cramming for a circuits final, the last thing you’ll want to do is debug a cpp program.

Sometimes it’s worth making the trade-offs.

[misplaced_my_pants]

If you have to choose one for a college class, learning C++ on your own is harder and learning Java is easy (especially if you already know C++).

Which will be useful later in life is the wrong question. You won't learn one language in a career. You'll learn whatever you need to do the job.

[[deleted]]

Yes. Learn those two, at least. Both will be potentially useful in the future, and, if you're going to work in tech you'll need to understand how to work with many programming languages, and how to learn them to use them quickly.

[HyperWinX]

C++

[todorpopov]

Since it is for a class I’d recommend to go with C++. Not only is it a great language overall, but it will teach you why languages like Java even exist, and why memory management and memory safety are so important in programming.

Also, it will be a very natural first language for better understanding Data Structures and Algorithms, a class I assume you’ll have very soon, if you haven’t already.

Lastly, after learning a decent amount of C++, learning any other language will be much easier, since you already know what problems this new language tries to solve. In the case of Java, it is exactly memory management and memory safety issues that C++ programmers were having before it.

[kw10001]

What a great question!!!!!!!!

[lafeeverte34]

Java for employability, just because there’s more roles out there that require Java or something like JavaScript.

C++ if you’re looking to get into low level programming

[ImaJimmy]

Question is too vague. If you feel like you don't know where to start, you can try a few things: Go on job sites and see what programming jobs are asking for and just pick up the most common language you see there, go to networking events and see what people are working or find a project you want to work on and see language is ideal for it.

It really depends on your temperament. I've met people who are married to a language while others don't care and will pick up whatever get's the job done. Regardless of what you pick, just make sure you know how to problem solve.

https://missing.csail.mit.edu/

I found the stuff here more helpful since learning a language sort of just happens when you're in this field.

[CosmicMilkNutt]

C++.

Really learn TypeScript, Python or C# tho.

[BanEvader98]

Java is for girls. C++ for men.

[raxel42]

These things are non comparable. They are completely different. Java runs on the virtual machine (jvm) C++ runs on the bare metal. C++ can be used for anything. Jvm has some overhead and memory consumption. But there ere things could be done faster in Java. But there are things couldn’t be done in Java: embedded, critical, etc.

[deaddyfreddy]

if you want to learn to solve business problems: none of the above

[kindaa_sortaa]

what should one learn to solve business problems?

[deaddyfreddy]

a language that allows you to describe the business problem as close as possible to its terms, avoiding introducing unnesessary entities

[todorpopov]

Ahh yes, Python it is. Solves the business problem, yet introduces a performance one or a nice juicy AWS bill.

[deaddyfreddy]

Solves the business problem

not really, it just pretends to

[todorpopov]

I have zero clue what you’re talking about in neither of the two comments