If we want to get a job within the IT sector, one of the fundamental requirements that we must have is knowing how to program. But this is a very broad concept, and today many languages coexist at the same time, each one of them designed for a specific type of project. As soon as we have investigated within the world of programming, surely there are some names that sound familiar to us, such as C, C++ or C#. These are, in a way, some of the fundamental languages. But, in the middle of 2022, and with the large number of alternatives available, which one should I start with?
C, the base pillar
C is a mid-level programming language. That means that it allows us to program a little closer to the hardware than other higher level languages. This translates into a better overall performance of the programs, although it is somewhat more complicated to use, especially in very large projects. C is still widely used on Linux systems because it is a powerful and versatile language that allows you to create everything from small programs to a complete operating system.
The problem is that, if what we are looking for is a professional opportunity, C is not one of the most used languages. Rather, we could say that it is a language in disuse, so if we do not want to waste time, it is better to leave it in the inkwell and focus on other languages.
C++, the improved version of C
C++ is, broadly speaking, an extension of C, which, among other things, provides object-oriented programming. Therefore, this language offers us the same that C can offer us, but with many very interesting additions. Is about a high-level language widely used in the professional market, so, without a doubt, it is a safe bet. This language is used, above all, when we need to develop a multiplatform program in which performance prevails, since it is much faster and lighter than C#.
In video game development, this is a widely used language, since one of the most important engines, Unreal Engine, uses it for its scripts.
C#, the .NET standard
C# is another object-oriented programming language, and one of the most used as well, along with C++. This language depends directly on the .NET Framework, so we can do almost anything with it. The problem is that if we use the functions of this framework, it will only work on computers where we have .NET installed. That is, on Windows. Although it may seem that C# is more complete than C++, in fact the same can be done with both systems, with the difference that, for some tasks, C++ depends on some additional libraries.
If we are thinking of dedicating ourselves to the development of video games, C# is also another safe betsince, in addition to being a widely used language in the professional field, it is also one of the standard languages of the Unity engine.