Should You Learn C and C++ in 2022

So its almost the end 2021 and I was wondering how it was so mandatory to learn C in the starting phase of my graduation. But now its 2022, world of programming has changed. You can almost chose any programming language and start your carrier. Programming world is so easy now.

Thinking about this modern era, I was thinking about the situation of a newbie programmer. Who is just about to begin their programming career. How will they chose the best programming language for their career. If you are someone looking for the answer to this question whether you should learn C and C++ in 2022.

You might heard from many that yes it is must to learn C and C++. But lets just ignore the opinions of the others. By the end of this article you will be able to make your own definite decision about the question-

Should I Learn C and C++?

Read this article where I have gathered some information for you. This article will be discussing number facts of about C and C++ and will help you decide whether you should learn C and C++ in 2022. So without further ado lets get started.

Things to know about C Language and C++ Language

C and C++ are fantastic programming languages and it solves many specific needs. Some of the facts that needs to highlighted about C and C++ language is that

• It was created to be incredibly fast. And with that said these are both dependent on how fast the processor runs.
• Another thing which can be highlighted is, C++ is a compiled language which allows it be executed very efficiently. And this is because first a compiled language opposed to an interpreted language has a very direct execution process. It translates from one source to machine code. Whereas Interpreted Language like JavaScript or Python the source processed by the source interpreter and hence translated.
• C++ offers Object Oriented Concept which is an addition over C. This provides abstraction mechanism that allows packaging of sophisticated algorithms in libraries that add very little overhead to straight code expansion. And there is thousands of such libraries that published over the year. The coder can use these packages to quickly achieve desired results.

Related Article - Difference between C, C++ and C Sharp.

Industries where these languages are used today

Because C and C++ is incredibly fast, it is also one such fantastic choice for embedded systems like NASA, Robotics and even like really popular large scale games like Assassin's Creed, Call of Duty and Doom. And if you think about it, these games need to squeeze out every piece of performance and make these blazing fast calculations and processing on the fly and this is done with C++.

Is C and C++ are outdated?

Now let's talk about the flip side C and C++. So these both languages are a very strict, very robust and very complex language and this makes C and C++ incredibly difficult to learn. Even for seasoned developer. If you compare the code of C++ and JavaScript you will notice the difference and will definite chose JavaScript over C++ to learn.

C and C++ are some of the hardest languages to master. On top of that C++ isn't the right choice for many projects and applications. You cannot choose C and C++ to build Web Application or APIs, Desktop Apps, and mobile apps. You can only choose C++ unless your project/application requires lot of quick processing and give fast results.

Also, companies are preferring languages like Java, Python and Lua to build Web and desktop applications. And these are languages that are easier to you and learn. Even video games systems are getting so fast that they are now using Unity or C Sharp. Even Nintendo prefers Unity Game engine. Their official developer website also mentions Unity game engine as the only third party tool that they prefer.

So people choose other languages over C and C++ because they are offering the same cross-platform compatibility and results. And also these languages are much more easier to learn and work with.

Is C and C++ worth learning in 2022

So should you learn C and C++? The answer is- Most people don't need to learn C and C++ unless there is a specific industry that you want to get into. So if want to build embedded systems or work in robotics or want to develop a career in finance and algorithmic trading, learning C and C++ would be beneficial for you.

But there are many different software and technologies and Jobs that have absolutely no need for C and C++ language.

So consider things like Mobile Applications of Android and IOS or Desktop apps, Backend APIs, Machine learning, Data-science and many other things,

• Could you use C and C++ to build these things - YES
• Would there be any advantage of using C or C++ over other languages - Probably NOT.
• And also it would take more time and money if you choose to use it.

Job Market for C and C++ Developers

Okay, now let's take a look into the job market. We talked earlier that C and C++ is very difficult to learn and because of this most companies are looking for Senior C++ developers. If you are looking for an entry level job it's going to be much easier getting one by learning and using Python or JavaScript versus C++.

Take a look at these search results of LinkedIn-

So it is clear that more job opportunities are available to JavaScript developers compared to C or C++ developers. If you are thinking to get a job quickly after learning some programming language then you may want to consider technologies in Desktop app or Web Development for example- HTML, CSS, JavaScript and React.

And what's really cool is these programming languages are fairly easy to learn and they are a perfect choice for any beginner.

What to choose C or C++ | C vs C++

Here is my own personal thoughts, when I was starting my graduation I already knew certain things about C++ Language. I didn't even know that the C language also exists. In the first year, I had the compulsory subject dedicated to C language.

Because I already knew about C++, it was not at all difficult for me to learn C language. C++ is nothing but an extension of C language. The only difference of C and C++ is that C++ offers object oriented programming concept. So I would suggest you to go for C++ Language. Understand the concept of OOP. And learn it if it is mandatory for your graduation or qualification of a degree. You don't have to master it.

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Well, that's it, my friends, I hope this article helped you answer one of the most asked question of the coming year. If you guy liked this article be sure to share it in your friend circle and share your thoughts in the comments section below.