Introduction to C++

C++ was also known by the name “C with Classes”, which is a general purpose object-oriented programming language. Bjarne Stroustrup developed this language in 1979 at Bell Labs. C++ vs Java helps you to understand the basic difference between each language. It is a multi-paradigm programming language as it supports both procedural and object-oriented programming languages. C++ has the property of the C programming language and the classes and objects for user-defined data types. C++ is used with graphics applications, operating systems, desktop applications, high-performance applications, for instance, space probes, E-commerce, smart watches, game development, cloud distributed system, databases, compilers, etc. This blog on C++ vs Java will help you learn about the difference between C++ and Java and the basis of different features.

The C++ is being used by top tech giants companies such as Microsoft, IBM, Google, Meta, Amazon, etc. C++ has the properties of Object Oriented language such as Encapsulation, Polymorphism, Inheritance, etc. But without having classes and objects, the code of C++ can be compiled, hence it is also known as a semi object oriented language. Now, it is not only an extension of the C programming language but with modern updates and high performance it has become a popular and in-demand programming language.

Features of C++ Language

• Object-Oriented Language (OOPs): C++ is an object-oriented language that means it has properties like classes, objects, polymorphism, inheritance, encapsulation, abstraction, data hiding, etc. The OOPs help in solving problems effectively, prevent data redundancy and ensure the flexibility of the code.
• Lambda Function: C++ supports the anonymous function called a lambda expression. The syntax of the lambda function is given as:

[capture](parameters) -> return_type { function_body }

• Static and Dynamic Memory Allocation: In C++ memory can be allocated during compile time that is static allocation and dynamically i.e., during run time. Many times, the programmer is not aware of how much memory would be required to store the particular information in the defined variable, so in this case, the size of required memory can be defined at run time. The dynamically allocated memory can be allocated using malloc(), calloc(), realloc(), etc functions.
• Fast and Powerful: Being a compiler based language C++ executes the codes faster. Also, it contains many built-in functions, data types, etc that make C++ a powerful language and the first choice for the programmer.
• Templates Creation: In C++ templates are used for generic programming, that is templating is used to create class, generic functions, etc which is used to perform particular tasks for more than one data type.

Introduction to Java

Java was developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and it was released on May 23, 1995. Java programming language is being used by thousands of Software Development Companies and millions of developers around the globe. Today, Java is one of the most popular languages for developing Software Applications and solving real world problems. Java is a high-level object oriented language that supports the feature of WORA – Write Once and Run Anywhere, which means, compiled Java code can be run on all platforms without any need for recompilation. 

As per the Java home page, more than 1 billion computers and 3 billion mobile phones use Java programming for application development. 

Features of Java Language

• Platform Independent: Java is a platform independent language, which means you can write once and run anywhere (WORA). The compiled Java code can be executed on any machine without any changes. 
• Automatic Garbage Collection: Java is a garbage collected language, the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) automatically deallocates the memory blocks and programmers don’t need to delete them manually as in the case of C and C++.
• Object Oriented Language (OOPs): Java is a pure object oriented language. It supports features like encapsulation, polymorphism, inheritance, abstraction, data hiding, etc. In Java, everything is an Object.
• Multithreading: Java supports multithreading, which means multiple tasks or functions of the same program can execute in parallel. It helps to maximize the utilization of resources and programs can be executed sequentially and in a timely manner.
• Memory Management System: Java offers a strong memory management system that helps to eliminate the errors and check the code both at compile time and run time.

Difference Between C++ and Java

The below table helps you to understand the difference between C++ vs Java

Example of C++ and Java Program

Addition of Two Numbers in c++

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
void main() {
int a, b, sum=0;
cout << "Enter the value for two integers: ";
cin >> a >> b;
// sum of two numbers in stored in variable sum
sum = a + b;
// prints the sum of two numbers
cout << a << " + " <<  b  << " = " << sum;
return 0;
}

Addition of Two Numbers in c++

import java.util.Scanner;  // Importing the Scanner class
class Addition {
  public static void main (String[] args) {
    int x, y, sum=0;
    Scanner myObj = new Scanner(System.in); // Creating a Scanner object
    System.out.println("Enter the first number:");
    x = myObj.nextInt();    // Take the user input
    System.out.println ( " Enter the second number:" );
    y = myObj.nextInt();   // Take the user input
    sum = x + y;          // Calculate the sum of two numbers x + y
    System.out.println ("Sum is: " + sum);    // Print the sum
  }
}

Conclusion

So, as we have seen the difference between c++ vs java, we came to know that both languages are being used by top tech companies and learning these languages would prove to be very useful.

People who are working in the field of software development or want to work in the software industry basically preferred Java because of its flexibility, diversity, templates, automatic garbage collection, etc makes Java useful for web based applications. Whereas, people looking to make their career in game development, low-level programming, system programming, building operating systems, etc preferred C++ because of its speed, performance, closeness to hardware, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions