C++ requires developers to manually manage memory allocation and deallocation using new/delete operators, which increases programmer responsibility and can lead to issues such as memory leaks and segmentation faults if mismanaged. Java, however, has automatic garbage collection which relieves developers of this task, reducing the risk of memory-related errors and improving program safety by running in a managed environment.

Java is perceived as safer than C++ with respect to memory access because it operates within a managed runtime environment—the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). The JVM adds a layer of abstraction that prevents Java programs from accessing arbitrary memory locations, thus reducing risks such as buffer overflows and pointer mismanagement, which are common pitfalls in C++ where direct memory access is allowed.

C++'s features like manual memory management, direct hardware access, and support for both procedural and object-oriented paradigms make it suitable for system software, game engines, and performance-critical applications. Java's automatic garbage collection, platform independence, and pure OOP approach align it more closely with enterprise software, backend systems, Android applications, and large-scale web applications. These use cases reflect how the languages' features cater to different domains based on performance requirements, safety, and deployment flexibility.

Java's use of checked exceptions mandates that certain error conditions must be handled or declared in the method signature, reflecting a design philosophy that emphasizes code robustness and predictability. C++ does not enforce this, leaning towards giving developers more freedom and responsibility in managing exceptions, reflecting a design philosophy that values flexibility and efficiency.

C++ allows multiple inheritance with classes, providing developers with the ability to combine characteristics from several parent classes, which can lead to complex and difficult-to-maintain code if not carefully managed. Java restricts multiple inheritance to interfaces to avoid the diamond problem, simplifying object hierarchies and reducing potential conflicts and ambiguity. This affects practical software development by steering Java developers towards using interfaces for composing functionalities, while C++ developers have greater flexibility but must handle complexity with caution.

C++ is compiled directly into machine code for a specific platform, which makes it platform-dependent as it generates a different executable for each operating system. In contrast, Java is compiled into bytecode which runs on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM), making it platform-independent. This 'Write once, run anywhere' approach allows Java programs to run on any device or operating system that has the JVM installed.

C++ utilizes the Standard Template Library (STL), which is powerful but can be complex due to the use of templates, making it crucial for developers to understand template programming deeply. Java, on the other hand, employs the Collections Framework, which provides built-in data structures like ArrayList and HashMap in a straightforward manner. This difference affects software development as C++ might offer more flexibility and performance tuning through templates, whereas Java might accelerate development speed with easier-to-use data structures.

C++ supports both procedural and object-oriented programming, offering flexibility for developers to choose the paradigm that best suits their needs, including leveraging procedural coding for straightforward tasks and OOP for more complex structures. Java, being purely object-oriented (where everything is encapsulated within classes except for primitive types), encourages a uniform design philosophy across projects. This can impact software design choices by promoting encapsulation and inheritance patterns in Java more strictly than C++, which may support a more mixed or tailored approach.

Java's initial performance lag compared to C++ arose from the overhead of running on the JVM instead of direct machine code execution. However, advancements in Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation and other optimization technologies within modern JVMs have significantly narrowed this performance gap, making Java a viable choice even for some performance-sensitive applications. Despite these improvements, C++ generally remains faster in scenarios requiring maximum computational efficiency because it compiles directly to native code.

By removing low-level features like explicit pointers and multiple inheritance of classes, Java simplifies programming, minimizing potential errors such as pointer dereferencing issues and inheritance ambiguity. This simplification helps developers focus more on application logic rather than intricate memory management and inheritance complexities, contrasting with C++, where programmers need to deal with these aspects directly.