C++ vs Java

Differences Between C++ vs Java

C++ and Java both are object-oriented programming languages, still, both C++ and Java languages are different from each other in many ways. To begin with, C++ vs Java have different design goals. C++ was implemented for application and system development and is an extension of C language. Along with the features of the procedural language, C++ has an added support for object-oriented programming features, exception handling, generic programming etc. C++ also has a standard library with many generic containers and algorithms.

Java was developed earlier with the functionality of an interpreter for printing systems which later supported network computing. It is built upon the virtual machine which is highly secure and portable in nature. It is grouped with a comprehensive library implemented to provide support for abstraction of the existing platform. Just like C++, Java is also statistically typed object-oriented programming language with a similar with an incompatible syntax. The main purpose of developing Java was to develop an easy to use and widely available programming language. Java has an extensive documentation as well which is known as Javadoc.

C++ uses pointers while Java does not involve pointers. Java uses the concept of ‘restricted pointers’. A C++ program is run and the compilation is done using its compiler. The compiler in C++ converts source code into machine level language which makes C++ a platform-dependent language. In Java, java source code is first converted into bytecode at the time of compilation. This bytecode is then interpreted by the interpreter and runtime to produce the output that makes Java a platform independent language.

C++ does not provide built-in support for threads whereas Java support threads implicitly. Though in the latest implementation of C++11, it does have support for threads as well. Java is much like C++ but does not involve complex concepts like structures, operator overloading, pointers, templates, unions etc. Also, Java doesn’t have support for conditional compile (#ifdef/#ifdef type).

Every entity is an object in java except fundamental types. Java has a single root hierarchy as everything emerged from java.lang.Object.

Head to Head Comparison Between C++ vs Java  (Infographics)

Below is the Top 8 Comparisons Between C++ vs Java

Key Differences Between C++ vs Java

Some of the points are explained below that shows the Differences Between C++ and Java

• C++ uses the only compiler whereas, in Java, compiler and interpreter both are used.
• C++ supports operator overloading and multiple inheritances but Java does not.
• C++ is more related to hardware in contrast to Java.
• C++ does not provide built-in support for internet whereas Java has built-in support for the same. However, C++ supports socket programming that can be used to achieve the same.
• C++ uses the concept of header files to include different libraries in the program. Java uses import functionality to include different classes and its methods in the program.
• C++ provides support for default arguments whereas Java does not.
• C++ has the concept of scope resolution operator( :: ) which is used to define a method external to the class, whereas Java uses single dot( . ) which can be used to qualify classes with the namespace they came from.
• Java does not use a go-to statement like C++.
• Java does not have destructors, therefore, exception handling mechanism and garbage collection are different from C++.
• Java supports method overloading whereas C++ supports method overloading as well as operator overloading.
• Java has the concept of pass-by-value.
• Java does not have the implementation of unsigned integers whereas C++ has.
• C++ uses pointers and has the capability of manipulating memory addresses.
• Java does not use pointers that make it a type-safe programming language.
• Java uses Generics whereas C++ uses templates.
• The JVM helps in an efficient code optimization so the performance of execution of the program is better than as that of C++.
• C++ uses destructors which are automatically invoked at the time of object destruction.
• Java has an in-built Thread class that needs to be inherited for the creation of a new thread. A programmer has to override its run() method.
• C++ has no support for Threads like Java, C++ achieve the functionality of thread using external libraries.

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C++ vs Java Comparison Table

Below is the list of points describe the comparison between C++ vs Java

Conclusion – C++ vs Java

Both C++ vs Java programming languages support OOPS concepts. C++ provides a flexibility at runtime and can implement broad type hierarchies. C++ is built upon C and has a backward compatibility with its features. It’s a kind of low-level programming language with some high-level features added to it. Memory management in C++ is a manual process that needs to be handled by the programmer which can introduce risks of memory leaks and segmentation faults. Java has a built-in garbage collector mechanism that keeps a track of allocated memory to the objects and makes them automatically free when no longer in use. Java provides different primitives and objects types and is a strongly typed programming language. It provides a way to transform primitives to their corresponding object types, for example, into an integer object using an object of Integer class etc.  Few java versions also have the feature of autoboxing that enables automatic conversion of primitives to their corresponding wrapper class. Java provides automatic Polymorphism and can restrict it by prohibiting explicit method overriding. Both C++ and Java have access specifiers that restrict the scope of attributes and methods within the class using private, within the package using protected and outside the class and package using public.

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