C++ or Python?
Posted by AhYesMemes@reddit | learnprogramming | View on Reddit | 43 comments
I am gonna be honest I am COMPLETELY new at coding and basically don’t have any understanding of it, the most I’ve done is some extremely tiny codes in lua a couple years back but thats it, I’m mainly looking to learn something like C++ or Python for a potential job in the future, what should I learn? Both? Or should I only learn one
Substantial_Shirt_25@reddit
Well I myself like and do C++ than python. I started out with python actually and that became boring after 4 days lol. Then I started C++ and I feel a lot better doing it. You get more understanding of low level coding while not being as low as assembly of course. It basically gives you control of memory and such. You can do that with some python libraries but of course I don't think it works as well as the memory management in C++. I began being so interested in the lower levels that I now do assembly XD. This is not necessarily what you have to do and it really is all on you so you choose.
What you need to know is that python is way easier while hiding things like memory management in the back, giving you less control over the things you want to do and code. Since you say you have done some Lua it should be fairly easy to jump into python, even if it was just a little Lua you did. Also python does not have types
C++ is more complicated to write and gives you way more control than python by letting you do the hardware management yourself. It has a very steep learning curve and I hear that some people has a hard time getting into it. You can do some python first just to get some of the syntax concepts and logic in but there will still be a lot to learn even if you have done python for a while. Also C++ DOES have types which is waaay better than not having them. It gives you even more understanding of types than if you use python.
Cool-Cap7289@reddit
C++
durable-racoon@reddit
Python. C++ is a bear to learn.
but it also depends: what do you want to do? that is THE most important question guiding which language to learn
erynorahill@reddit
CS50 is a brilliant and free introductory course that you should definitely take a look at
Prometheus2025@reddit
If you can bother to learn some C++ first then learn it to the point where you can quickly find where you missed a bracket or other typos then you can let it go and start switching over to python.
During this time, learn pseudo code, flowcharts, if then blocks, data types and loops. (You can skip the concepts of classes and pointers. These are concepts not the everyday usage definition).
I love the C++ language and I'm a big stan for it. (I have no reason for it).
Problem is, is the memory leak issue and so I've sadly abandoned the c++ language
I am now just starting to learn python and I appreciate how easier it is.
If you just want to jump right in to python, I say go for it.
LuccDev@reddit
Depends on your goals, ultimately if you know C++, python won't be too hard to learn
If you plan on working in high performance stuff (simulation, games, high frequency trading), you'll likely need C++
If you plan to work on dev, data engineering, data related things in general, you'll likely need Python more
So, it depends on your goals, your motivation (C++ is hard to master) and your time
Ok_Ideal_5101@reddit
Seconding this because it seems like nobody is asking what my boy wants to do with his skillset.
OP, if you are wanting to make a career out of it and be good at your craft, C/C++ is fine but it’s ~3x harder to learn. But you have to dedicate yourself to learning both “why” and “what”. Python is easier to focus on the “what” to expedite practical knowledge.
CS field is pretty fast but most dev/eng role are based on around Web applications. If you want to get yourself into one of these roles ASAP and learn as you go, stick with Python and maybe try to learn about Web application development basics.
If you want to get into more complex sectors like embedded, some parts of iOS, gaming, or any hardcore engineering, you will have to know the complexities pretty well and C/C++ will go a lot further.
But most importantly is to know your goals. If you’re comfortable sharing what you enjoy or where you want to be, it will be easier to recommend which you should jump into :)
AhYesMemes@reddit (OP)
Realised I probably should’ve specified what I’m wanting to do, and I would love to focus on stuff like games etc, I heard C++ is great for that but one of my friends that I know knows C++, C#, Python and lua, when I asked them how I should go about this they recommended me Python. Thats why I came to this subreddit, I wanna know it python is really a good choice for me to get started on learning coding (of course in the future I’d love to learn both the languages and expand my knowledge but I mainly wanna know what I should learn first)
LuccDev@reddit
Is it to find a job ? Or for hobby ? Or hobby with potential job ? If you are interested in Games, professionally, C++ is definitely the way to go. If it's for a hobby, Python is fine, until you find yourself limited then you can switch to C++, or to an engine like Godot, Unity...
fudginreddit@reddit
Trying to learn C++ first has a good chance of turning you off from programming entirely, Id go with python.
You can pretty quickly start making some cool stuff with python with little effort, the same is not true for c++.
Vegetable-Passion357@reddit
I agree with you. Learn Python first, then graduate to C++.
fudginreddit@reddit
for sure! and I say this as someone who has been professionally writing C++ for 6 years now. Love the language, but it's not a good beginner language and I even gave up on it when first beginning my programming journey, ultimately settling on Java. But mastering Java made mastering C++ much easier, since so much of the knowledge is transferable.
Redtown_Wayfarer@reddit
You should learn python first. Its easier to learn and advance. If you learn c++ first, theres a chance to get stuck before you even learn any programming concept. Learn c++ later.
Vegetable-Passion357@reddit
I hope that the person who asked the original question reads will understands and follow your direction.
AhYesMemes@reddit (OP)
Yep. I did and I read many others and decided I will try out python first
Vegetable-Passion357@reddit
At this time, your need is to learn how to program.
At this time, the first programming language that you learn is your stepping stone to learn the art of programming.
In 1985, I decided to take my first computer programming course in college.
In 1985, the stepping stone programming language to learn was Pascal.
Pascal is known as a beginner's programming language. Nobody uses Pascal in production code. At this time, assembler and C were used for production code for workstations, such as MS-Word. C++ was coming out. By 1988, everyone were using C++ for production code.
Right now, you just want to learn the basics of programming. Python is your ticket.
When it is time to create web sites, then go for C# or Java.
When it is time to create production workstation code for a Windows computer, then C++ is your answer.
csabinho@reddit
Well, Delphi was used in production. Or are you talking about the pre-Delphi time?
Vegetable-Passion357@reddit
Link to the wikipedia article describing the history of Delphi.
Notice the year that I mentioned, previously, 1985. Put the two ideas together.
Turbo Pascal did exist in 1985. But at my college, we learned programming on a IBM Mainframe Computer. We were using Waterloo Pascal, created by the University of Waterloo.
csabinho@reddit
That was my question. So if you were talking about the whole timespan or just your perspective back then.
Vegetable-Passion357@reddit
I will discontinue the conversation.
Please grow up and act like a 40 year old programmer.
C_Pala@reddit
Sushi or cappuccino?
LeMagiciendOz@reddit
Both are good as a first programming language imo (C++ can be a bit daunting for a novice but it's perfectly doable if you like programing).
It seems that they are a lot of University programs nowadays that teach intro to programing with Python, so that can't be a bad choice.
If you decide to go the Python route, I encourage you to take a look at the University of Helsinki MOOC Python free course, it's really good if you like learning by doing projects.
Happy learning!
projectvibrance@reddit
C++ is a "lower-level" language than Python, essentially meaning that you'll have more control over things like memory. (think of a standard vs automatic car)
Learning C++ will make learning Python easier; the vice versa isn't quite true
bestjakeisbest@reddit
Remember that more control means you will have more responsibilities.
CodeFarmer@reddit
True!
However, learning C++ is probably an order of magnitude harder than learning Python. It depends on a lot of things.
(I have done both professionally, and I'd say that some of the most popular books on C++ being mostly about footgun avoidance is a thing to consider.)
Rebeljah@reddit
I dunno, all I hear is "I'm not experienced in hammers and I'm looking for a good hammer so that one day I can build houses professionally". Every hammer swings, and once you learn to swing one you don't have to adjust much to a new one.
AhYesMemes@reddit (OP)
Im glad people like you exist because it let’s me appreciate people who actually do help, you’re saying this as if I didn’t specify I have no idea how programming works yet so thats why I wanna get into it, how was I supposed to know programming languages are more similar than I thought they are.
Rebeljah@reddit
Huh? I was just giving a metaphor about hammers, I'll be more clear it doesn't really matter what first language you learn it's more about learning concepts than language syntax.
AhYesMemes@reddit (OP)
I understand your intentions and thank you for helping (and sorry if I sounded rude), but it just didn’t really make sense to me since I didn’t know languages are similar, I thought they are completely different and wont help in learning a different one in the future, thats why I was asking for good example. Again sorry if I was rude and thank you for your help
Crab_Enthusiast188@reddit
He's right but could've probably said it a bit nicer. All languages are pretty much the same, just different syntax, the logic stays the same. There are just different types of hammers that are optimized for different types of jobs but at the end of the day It's still just a hammer. You'll find it ridiculously easy to pick up a 2nd language after you've learned your first properly.
Rebeljah@reddit
You might hear the term "C style language" thrown around it's a reference to the syntax design of C, which most popular programming languages adopt. So as far as how you write code, a lot of languages are similar (Python, C++, Java are all C style languages)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_C-family_programming_languages
There are also just a lot of tasks that different languages accomplish in similar ways. Every modern C style language will have some common strategies for solving a problem, for example, to associate a user's ID with their name so that it can be looked up.
Rinuko@reddit
Whatever your local jobmarket says. Here Java, c# and c++ is generally what is the companies are after.
It’s rare I see a python job listing
Stevesegallbladder@reddit
Granted I just started coding and job hunting relatively recently. I won't say Python is required for much but it's very useful for data analytics. I can still do everything with just SQL, Excel, and Tableu but Python is a great tool for data manipulation.
Rinuko@reddit
In my country there is rare to see anyone asking for a python developer, that was my point. So you’d (as a junior) sell yourself short if you specialise in just that language.
Stevesegallbladder@reddit
That's fair
Crab_Enthusiast188@reddit
Think carefully before choosing C++. First define your goals: what do you want to achieve with programming? If your objective can be easily accomplished with Python, there's little reason to go through the steep learning curve of C++.
Don't learn a language just as a stepping stone to another. While C++ offers low-level control and fine-grained performance optimization, it is significantly harder to learn than Python. Ask yourself: do you truly need that level of control for your projects?
It’s true learning C++ first might make Python feel easier—just like starting a game at level 100 and then switching to an easier mode. But if you don’t have a specific reason to start with C++, you’ll likely find Python a more beginner-friendly and practical choice.
If you don’t have a particular goal in mind, start with Python. It’s widely used, easy to learn, and won’t be torturous like C or C++. Learning Python first doesn't mean it'll make you incompatible with C++, if anything it might be less forgiving with that experience.
Alex999991@reddit
Learning Python easily than c++ because almost ALL documentations, books and sites about c++ are THE HUGE mountains of GARBAGE! With WORST structure and A LOT OF “water”.
For example. At page 50 you see example where explaining something and saying “this is ….” and “this is will be explained later…” and that explained after 150 pages… where the same picture- “this is ….” and “this is will be explained later…” also “that’s was explained before…” (about 100 pages).
And MOST TIME being learning language you turning pages forward and backward to understand examples.
Beregolas@reddit
Programming languages are not like natural languages: They are far more similar. You can think of them more like a dialect in a natural language. So once you know programming (in a certain paradigm, which is like a category / family of languages), picking up a new language is the work of a weekend.
There are several schools of thought as to which language you should use to lear programming in the beginning. In my opinion, the three most convincing arguments are:
C, because it's simple (not easy) and requires you to understand memory and computer systems, which gives you an advantage down the road. I would recommend to NOT use C++, as it is not simple.
Python, because it's easy to read and understand when compared to many other langauges, which could give you a slightly easier start. It will also give you the ability to get "productive" faster. You will NOT be able to write production code for a large project or a company, but small automations and scripts to do things on your computer, or writing a bot for discord for example, are all possible quite early.
Java/C#/[similar language], because Object Oriented Programming is the paradigm of choice for most people (which does NOT make it the best, just the most common). This means learning with an object oriented language can make your start into a job and into learning other languages easier.
I myself am partial to the advice to start with C. Even old books like "The C Programming Language" by Kerninghan Ritchie are still a good way to learn programming, since in C, basically nothing important changed since then. There should also be a lot of courses out there as an intro to C, even some university lectures are up on youtube.
And lastly, C is basically the common ancestor of many modern langauges. If you know C, switching to C++, Python, Java, etc. is not so hard.
AhYesMemes@reddit (OP)
Thank you this helps a lot, right now from yours and other peoples replies I am thinking of trying out to learn either python or C, I thought C++ would be a good choice but lots of people are saying it’s difficult and Im thinking I should probably start off with something easier
Beletron@reddit
When I started my degree 9 years ago I actually learned both at the same time. We were using C++ for exams and homework but my teacher told us to learn Python on the side because it was easier to learn and practice algorithms.
Depending on the projects you work on, you could use the one that fits best.
DGTHEGREAT007@reddit
If you want to give it time and actually learn programming then start with C, if not then start with Python.
ToThePillory@reddit
For a job, it depends what you want to do.
Python is easier and more popular with beginners.
It's popularity with beginners might be a problem when you come to apply for jobs, being as so many other beginners are learning it.
niehle@reddit
Read the „new here“ thread