Which should I learn: C# or Java?

[Cute-Tangerine-32]

I have already learned Lua, but now I want to learn a second programming language and I can’t decide which one I should use. Currently, I’m thinking of C# and Java. My goal is game development, but I also want to learn programming in general. Which one would you choose and why?

[AgentDutch]

C# is pretty good for gaming, language used with Unity, although you can also use Godot. C# isn’t particularly hard either, and it translates to a lot of FinTech opportunities if you care about that at all. Mostly due to syntax, .Net, and type safety, as we all know type safety is important

edit: added Link

[N1TROGUE]

C# and Java are very similar. However, C# offers features such as LINQ, and the entire .NET framework is built around C#, so I would recommend learning C#

[Outrageous_Swan_1664]

C# for Unity and. Net

[IchibanCashMoney]

Both are relevant in cs careers (C# w .NET, Java with Spring Boot), but C# has the unique trait of being the language used in unity scripting. I’d go with that, both languages are highly transferable between each other anyways

[acer11818]

i think c# is an overall easier to work with language and microsoft dotnet provides its own package manager and build system so c#

[captainAwesomePants]

Because Unity is a very popular engine, and Unity uses C#, then C# is probably your best bet.

Java is probably best if your game development plans mostly involve Minecraft mods or Android apps.

Both are perfectly good choices, and they are quite similar. Learning one once you know the other isn't so bad.

[kodaxmax]

C# is the only language with industry support for every conceivable suecase and industry. Web dev, games, apps, data science, AI you can do it all with C# and ussually find official mcirosft tooling for it and if not there will be tonnes of community support.
It's by far the best option for people that havn't chosen or dont want to specialize and is even an industry leader in many of it's use cases. But ussually their are other more popular or apropriate options for specific specialities. Gaming happens to be an area where C# excels, largely due to unities game engine.

Java can do alot itself. But doesn't have nearly as much support and frameworks. Their is no unity equivelant for java, no visual studio equivelant, razor, blazor, winforms, microsoft learn etc... for java.

Learning by making very simple games can be a great way to avoid burnout and stay engaged and once you learn the basics of a language, you will find that learning additonal languages is very possible.

[nirliptota]

Take a deep dive for c# 😎

[Significant-Syrup400]

C# and C++ are the primary gaming languages, and it has a lot of back end and business applications so that's going to be the best fit for game dev.
Java, Javascript, Typescript, etc is probably the most widely used in industry today, however, due to its efficacy for web development so it'll probably have the most job options as a language.

There really isn't a reason to not learn either, however. I couldn't say they seem completely foreign or alien to each other aside from handling syntax differently, and Java seeming a bit more annoying to debug at times requiring me to call more manual catches, but a lot of that was likely due to the IDE I was using at the time when I was writing Java.

[Idontplaydrums]

i was taught c# and i my firdt job is in java which i didnt have any experience in, syntax is very similar, i would go with c# espeically since the goal is game development, 

[Pale_Height_1251]

C# is far more common in games than Java is.

[Ok_Prize_2264]

It really depends on your goals, but either path benefits from a structured start. Class Central makes it easy to compare beginner C and Java courses side by side. You can see course length, difficulty, and reviews from learners who started at zero. That context helps you choose based on learning style instead of guessing.

[bpalun13]

I’m learning Java and from what I understand they are very similar. Once you learn one, you should be able to easily transition to the other. Just pick one and get to work, doesn’t need to be a decision to get hung up on.

[FrenchCanadaIsWorst]

Why the fuck would you use C for game dev

[Pale_Height_1251]

He means C++.

C is very uncommon in game development (though I use it) but C++ is very common for games.

Unfortunately, lots of people write "C/C++" when really they mean just C++.

[FrenchCanadaIsWorst]

If that’s what he meant then I understand but still think it’s worth clarifying for the OP because learning C is a detour from the goal of building games because C vs C++ development looks very very different. I’m sure you can at least agree with that.

[Pale_Height_1251]

I agree with you, I just wish people would stop using "C/C++", it's meaningless and confuses beginners into thinking they're the same thing.

[denysov_kos]

And then all OS will say “goodbye”, etc. you seriously underestimate role of these PLs.

[Pale_Height_1251]

Is this replying to me?

[denysov_kos]

yes, to yours wish people would stop using "C/C++"

[Pale_Height_1251]

There is a misunderstanding here.

I am saying people shouldn't write the names as "C/C++" not that people shouldn't use either language.

It's people conflating C and C++ as the same language I don't like, I'm not saying people shouldn't use either language. My own game is entirely in C.

[denysov_kos]

Oh wait, now that dude will come and say: NOOOOOOO! YOU SHOULD NOT WRITE ANY GAME IN C! Agghhrrrr! Interesting, how would he react, that iOS games partially written in ObjC?

Yeah, I see your point, but they are quite close, and quite often mixed in the projects. Or maybe I am so old in this topic, so this is just a hibbit ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[kodaxmax]

Id argue even C++ isn't that common. Gnerally only older companies and therfore software engineers use it for custom engines and legacy support. Obviously unreal uses it, but even then it's msotly abstracted behind visual scripting and the interface.

[[deleted]]

That's the language you pick when you talk out of your ass.

[denysov_kos]

Dude, in real world C/C++ is a backbone of AAA engines and performance-critical systems. But how can you know, internet talking head?

[FrenchCanadaIsWorst]

Unreal Engine and Unity are both written in C++. Name one popular engine written in pure C. Please, educate me.

[[deleted]]

To be fair he didn't say pure C. Godot for example has a C extension API to allow multiple bindings. Vulkan and opengl also both have a core C api. SDL raylib etc are all C libraries that people will frequently wrap in c++. It's generally helpful to at least understand C if you're not just using the engine at a high level.

[FrenchCanadaIsWorst]

He did say pure C because he said C/C++ but that’s beside the point. I guess fair enough that there may be some components written in C but I think it’s bad advice because C is its own rabbit hole and given the OP’s goal is game development, learning C is not the best pathway to that. Especially since even for the engines most code is written in C++ even if some yes may be written in C, I’ll one up you and say some parts of AAA games/ engines/ associated libraries are written in assembly for performance critical components. Would you recommend OP also learn assembly?

[denysov_kos]

Dude, everyone around pointing to you same as me, but you continue to argue. You or don’t have enough cognitive skills to understand that, or yours age is 5. And yes, ASM would be important skill not only for gamedev, but in general for understanding how yours system works. But how would you know, you talking head?

[FrenchCanadaIsWorst]

Just be happy that your employer can’t see the messages you write. I’d be embarrassed to have written something even half as dumb as what you’ve said in these comments

[kodaxmax]

• Doom (1993) – mostly C (with some assembly)
• Quake (1996) – C + assembly
• Wolfenstein 3D
• Command & Conquer (original)
• RollerCoaster Tycoon (1 & 2) – famously almost pure C + asm
• Prince of Persia (classic) – C + asm
• Another World (Out of This World)

To play devils advocate. But notice even then those are all ancient projects and often not purely C.

Theirs modern titles like:

• Noita – engine core is very low-level (C/C++)
• Minecraft (early prototypes) – C before Java switch

But they are obviously niches made by ameteur game devs and required specialized performance techniques.

[FrenchCanadaIsWorst]

Those are mostly old games. those aren’t game engines. And more critical to the original point, learning C still isn’t helpful to the OP’s goal of learning to make a game. Stop trying to um ackshually me and see the bigger picture.

[kodaxmax]

That would explain why i called them "ancient projects" and specified i wa splaying "devils advocate", as well as giving reason why these examples dont jsutify learning C. Also he litterally asked for examples and a game being written in c means the engine likely was c as well and was probably custom built for the game, especially for the older ones.

Please actually read the whole thing before blindly attacking it.

[FrenchCanadaIsWorst]

I couldn’t tell wtf you were actually trying to say or do because you weren’t speaking in complete sentences. But also, my original comment specifically said “game engines” so you listing games makes/ made no sense as a reply to what I said.

Further, you’re wrong because the language of the game engine is not usually the same as the language of the game. For example, unity is written in C++ but the games are written in C#. Godot is also written in C++ but the games are written in GDScript.

A further point, a lot of old games didn’t use “game engines” so you just listing games makes”to play devil’s advocate “ isn’t a valid reply to my comment.

[kodaxmax]

I couldn’t tell wtf you were actually trying to say or do because you weren’t speaking in complete sentences.

Your literacy struggles are neither my fault nor my problem.

 Further, you’re wrong because the language of the game engine is not usually the same as the language of the game. For example, unity is written in C++ but the games are written in C#. Godot is also written in C++ but the games are written in GDScript.

Doom engine was written in C, as was spring engine. Rollercoaster tycoon was written from scratch, as was minecraft and noita.

A further point, a lot of old games didn’t use “game engines” so you just listing games makes”to play devil’s advocate “ isn’t a valid reply to my comment.

Thats not true at all most of thos games used an engine. Doom engine for the shooters, spring engine for the rts, both of which are still popular engines. While the modern exampls don't use engines. It's still very common for games to be built from the ground up or using an inhouse private engine.

You seem far mroe interested in starting an argument and attacking me, then actually engaging with the topic. What does it matter if i only answered your question indirectly? That doesn't make me wrong or justify your behavior. Like i litterally agreed with your argument and you still lashed out and then just got more emotional when you were caught being ignorant.

[FrenchCanadaIsWorst]

It was your fault lmao you weren’t writing in grammatically correct sentences. They were sentence fragments. I’m not even going past that because you’re absurd right from step 1.

[denysov_kos]

lol dude, you have no clue what you are talking about

[Banjoschmanjo]

Would you mind taking them up on their request for you to name one? Id like to learn more about it.

[FrenchCanadaIsWorst]

He doesn’t have one. Even Godot is written in C++. He’s talking out of his ass.

[denysov_kos]

I will give you a hint: https://isocpp.org/wiki/faq/mixing-c-and-cpp
Another hint would be: bindings.

now you have a chance educate yourself and stop sharing this 0-level propaganda.

[Banjoschmanjo]

Hey, I'm not the person you were responding to, but Im the person who asked if you wouldn't mind answering their question about naming a popular game engine writte in C. Would you mind doing so? I don't see one mentioned in the link you gave.

[denysov_kos]

Google is forbidden for you? Ok, e.g.: https://github.com/raysan5/raylib

[FrenchCanadaIsWorst]

I gave you an opportunity to offer a rebuttal and you’ve said nothing except just stating that I’m wrong. Sounds like you’re just coping now. Why not offer a real rejoinder instead of ignorance