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Java vs C++
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Java is a general-purpose, high-level programming language. Java is used for web
development, Machine Learning, and other cutting-edge software development. Java
programming language was originally developed by Sun Microsystems which was
initiated by James Gosling and released in 1995 as core component of Sun
Microsystems' Java platform (Java 1.0 [J2SE])

C++ is a middle-level, case-sensitive, object-oriented programming language. Bjarne

Stroustrup created C++ at Bell Labs. C++ is a platform-independent programming
language that works on Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. C++ is near to hardware,
allowing low-level programming. This provides a developer control over memory,
improved performance, and dependable software.

Read through this article to get an overview of C++ and Java and how these two
programming languages are different from each other.

What is Java?
The latest release of the Java Standard Edition is Java SE 23. With the advancement
of Java and its widespread popularity, multiple configurations were built to suit various
types of platforms. For example: J2EE for Enterprise Applications, J2ME for Mobile
Applications.

The new J2 versions were renamed as Java SE, Java EE, and Java ME respectively.
Java is guaranteed to be Write Once, Run Anywhere.

Features of Java

Java is −

Object Oriented − In Java, everything is an Object. Java can be easily

extended since it is based on the Object model.
 Platform Independent − Unlike many other programming languages
including C and C++, when Java is compiled, it is not compiled into
platform specific machine, rather into platform independent byte code. This
byte code is distributed over the web and interpreted by the Java Virtual
Machine (JVM) on whichever platform it is being run on.

Simple − Java is designed to be easy to learn. If you understand the basic

concept of OOP Java, it would be easy to master.

Secure − With Java's secure feature it enables to develop virus-free, tamper-

free systems. Authentication techniques are based on public-key encryption.

Architecture-neutral − Java compiler generates an architecture-neutral

object file format, which makes the compiled code executable on many
processors, with the presence of Java runtime system.

Portable − Being architecture-neutral and having no implementation

dependent aspects of the specification makes Java portable. Compiler in Java
is written in ANSI C with a clean portability boundary, which is a POSIX subset.

Robust − Java makes an effort to eliminate error prone situations by

emphasizing mainly on compile time error checking and runtime checking.

Multithreaded − With Java's multithreaded feature it is possible to write

programs that can perform many tasks simultaneously. This design feature
allows the developers to construct interactive applications that can run
smoothly.

Interpreted − Java byte code is translated on the fly to native machine

instructions and is not stored anywhere. The development process is more
rapid and analytical since the linking is an incremental and light-weight
process.

High Performance − With the use of Just-In-Time compilers, Java enables

high performance.

Distributed − Java is designed for the distributed environment of the

internet.

Dynamic − Java is considered to be more dynamic than C or C++

since it is designed to adapt to an evolving environment. Java programs can
carry extensive amount of run-time information that can be used to verify and
resolve accesses to objects on run-time.

Java Example

Take a look at the following simple Java program

package [Link];
 import [Link];

public class JavaTester {

public static void main(String args[]) {

String a, b;
Scanner scanner = new Scanner([Link]);
[Link]("Enter The value for variable a");
a = [Link]();
[Link]("Enter The value for variable b");
b = [Link]();

[Link]("The value you have entered for a is " + a);

[Link]("The value you have entered for b is " + b);
[Link]();
}
}

In our example, we have taken two variables "a" and "b" and assigning some value to
those variables. Note that in Java, we need to declare datatype for variables explicitly,
as Java is strictly typed language. As Java is an object oriented language, we uses
objects to perform any action. In the example, we've used Scanner class object to
read user input from console which is represented by [Link] object. [Link]
object method println() is used to print the values received.

Output

On execution, this Java code will produce the following output −

Enter The value for variable a

10
Enter The value for variable b
20
The value you have entered for a is 10
The value you have entered for b is 20

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What is C++?
C++ is a statically typed, compiled, multi-paradigm, general-purpose programming
language with a steep learning curve. Video games, desktop apps, and embedded
systems use it extensively. C++ is so compatible with C that it can build practically all
C source code without any changes. Object-oriented programming makes C++ a
better-structured and safer language than C.

Features of C++

Let's see some features of C++ and the reason of its popularity.

Middle-level language − It's a middle-level language since it can be used for

both systems development and large-scale consumer applications like Media
Players, Photoshop, Game Engines, etc.

Execution Speed − C++ code runs quickly. Because it's compiled and uses
procedures extensively. Garbage collection, dynamic typing, and other modern
features impede program execution.

Object-oriented language − Object-oriented programming is flexible and

manageable. Large apps are possible. Growing code makes procedural code
harder to handle. C++'s key advantage over C.

Extensive Library Support − C++ has a vast library. Third-party libraries are
supported for fast development.

C++ Example

Let's understand the syntax of C++ through an example written below.

#include
using namespace std;
 int main() {
int a, b;
cout << "Enter The value for variable a \n";
cin >> a;
cout << "Enter The value for variable b";
cin >> b;
cout << "The value of a is "<< a << "and" << b;
return 0;
}

In our example, we are taking input for two variables "a" and "b" from the user
through the keyboard and displaying the data on the console.

Output

On execution, it will produce the following output

Enter The value for variable a

10
Enter The value for variable b
20
The value of a is 10 and 20

Difference Between Java and C++

Both Java and C++ are among the most popular programming languages. Both of
them have their advantages and disadvantages. In this tutorial, we shall take a
closure look at their characteristic features which differentiate one from another.

[Link]. Criteria Java C++

1 Developed by Java was developed by James C++ was developed

Gosling at Sun Microsystems. by Bjarne Stroustrup
Initially it was designed for at Bell Labs, as an
embedded systems, settop extension to C
boxes, televisions etc. Later it language. It supports
become a preferred language both high level as well
for internet based application as low level machine
development code access. C++ is
mainly used to
develop system
 softwares, compilers
etc.

It was influenced by
It was influenced by Ada 83,
2 Influenced by Ada, ALGOL 68, C, ML,
Pascal, C++, C#.
Simula, Smalltalk.

The Java bytecode works on any

operating System. Bytecode is
targeted for JVM. JVM or Java It doesn't work on
Virtual Machine then interpret every operating
Dependency on
3 the byte code and run the system since libraries
Architecture
underlying machine specific are different on
code. Thus Java code needs not different systems.
to be changed to run on
different machines.

It can run on any OS. Java code

It is compiled
is platform independent. No
Platform differently on different
4 platform specific code is
independence platforms, can't be run
required. Size of int, long
on any OS.
remains same on all platforms.

It is portable. Being platform

independent, a java code can be
transferred as it is on any
machine without any plaform
5 Portablity specific modification. A java It isn't portable.
code written in Windows
machine can run in Unix
machine in same fashion
without any modification.

Interpreted/ It is a compiled
6 It is an interpreted language.
Compiled language.

Memory management is done

automatically. Java provides
Memory management
Memory Garbage Collector service which
7 is to be done
management automatically deallocates
manually.
memory once an object is not
required.

virtual It doesn't have ‘virtual' It has the ‘virtual'

8
Keyword keyword. keyword.
 It supports single inheritance
only. Multiple inheritance can be
achieved using interfaces
(partial only). A class can
It supports single and
extend only a single class.
Multiple multiple Inheritance.
Although interface can extend
9 Inheritance Using virtual keyword,
multiple inheritance. Multiple
support ambigous reference
inheritance can lead to
can be resolved.
ambigous results. As virtual
keyword is not supported in
Java, multiple inhertance is not
supported.

It doesn't support operator

overloading. Java supports only It supports operator
operator method overloading. Operator overloading. In C++,
10 overloading overloading is considered to add we can overload both
support the complexity to base language methods and
so is not implemented to keep operators.
language simple.

It supports pointer
operations. Developers
It provides limited support to
can perform complex
pointers. Pointers being a
operations, can write
complex functionality, Java
optimized memory
11 pointers refrains from using them. It
based code using
provides concept of reference to
pointers. But it is quite
point to objects or precisely
complex and requires
their addresses.
strong programming
skills to master them.

They have high level

functionalities. Java is platform
independent language and the They have low level
compiled code of java as byte functionalities. As C++
Low level code is for JVM which further supports low level
12 machine code converts code to low level code. machine code code. It
access So using java, developer cannot is mainly used to write
write low level machine code. system softwares,
This is the reason, that Java is compilers etc.
mainly used for application
development.
 It doesn't support direct native
library call. Java is not designed
to work with low level machine
Native libraries It supports direct
13 code and it is not supporting
access system library calls.
native call. But we can configure
native call using third party
libraries.

It supports documentation
comment (/**.. */) for source
It doesn't support
code. Javadoc tool can read the
documentation documentation
14 documentation comments from
comment comment for source
source code and generate html
code.
based java documentation
based on the comments.

It supports thread operations.

It doesn't support
Java has by default support for
threads by design. It
multithreading. It allows
15 Multithreading can be done by using
concurrent programming to
third party threading
improve efficiency and to
libraries.
reduce time taken

It uses the 'System' class, i.e It uses 'cin' for input

[Link] for input. [Link] operation. cin allows
16 Console Input
class can be used to take input user to enter value in
from user on console. console.

It uses 'cout' for an

It uses [Link] for output.
output operation. cout
[Link]() method
17 Console Output prints the required
prints the required value on
value on system's
system's console.
console.

It doesn't support global scope.

Java is a strict object oriented
It supports global
language and global scope is
19 global support scope as well as
not available. Using packages, it
namespace scope.
supports across package scope
though.

struct/union It doesn't support structures It supports structures

20
support and unions. and unions.

21 goto keyword It doesn't have the 'goto' It supports the 'goto'

keyword. But same functionality keyword. Using goto
 is achivable using label. A
keyword, we can jump
break/continue statement can
to any labelled
jump to a labelled statement
location.
location.

It supports Pass by
It supports Pass by Value Value and pass by
pass by value/ method only. Even object reference methods. In
22
reference reference is technically passed case of pass by
to a method as value. reference, pointer or &
notation is required.

It performs object management

automatically using garbage It performs object
collector. Developers are not management manually
required to do memory with the help of ‘new'
allocation for objects or and ‘delete'.
Memory deallocate them when objects Developers have to
23
Management are not in use. Garbage take measures to
Collector service automatically ensure memory is
detects and frees up the space. properly allocated/
Due to GC service, memory deallocated to prevent
leaks are very less possible in memory leaks.
Java.

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