None other than C and Java are the two programming languages that have influenced how people see coding in general and development in particular. On the one hand, C is one of the oldest programming languages to have been created, and it served as the basis for the creation of many other computer languages, including Python, C++, C#, and others. Due to its durability and abundance of features, Java is one of the most diversified and well-known languages. Consequently, learning about the distinctions between these two excellent programming languages, C and Java, would be very much in the interests of practically all coding lovers. Let’s first spend some time learning each of these languages.
The basics of C
C, one of the earliest general-purpose programming languages ever created, was created by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Laboratories between 1972 and 1973. C was created to provide Unix-compatible tools, and it was then used to re-implement the Unix kernel.
C is used in the creation of portable systems and firmware in the modern world. Many features, including recursion, lexical variable scope, structured programming, and a static type system, are supported by C. Since it incorporates elements of both high-level and low-level languages, C is often referred to as a middle-level language.
Characteristics of C
Now let’s look at some of C’s main characteristics:
- An very simple to learn structured programming language is C.
- Programming in this language is quick and effective since it is efficient.
- C is not dependent on any specific hardware or operating system, making it a very portable and adaptable programming language.
- Any C-written programme may be executed on any computer that supports it without requiring any modifications.
- The built-in operators and function libraries in C are extensive.
- C is statically typed and modular.
Basics of JAVA
One of the most versatile languages in use today, Java was created by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems, which is now owned by Oracle. Java has emerged as the most widely used language for creating software applications to address real-world issues. It is used by thousands of software companies and millions of developers worldwide.
Java is an advanced object-oriented programming language with a focus on minimising implementation dependencies. Write Once Read Anywhere, or WORA, is supported by Java. In other words, Java code that has been compiled can execute without the requirement for recompilation on any platform that supports Java.
Many elements that help developers create scalable apps are also supported by Java. The creation of applications is facilitated by special classes like Applets, Servlets, JavaServer Pages, etc. Moreover, Java has several frameworks built on top of it, like Spring, Dagger, and others, which makes it easier for developers to collaborate.
Characteristics of JAVA
So let’s look at some of Java’s main characteristics:
- The WORA (Write Once, Run Anywhere) functionality is among Java’s most intriguing and significant aspects. Java code may be executed on any computing platform after it has been compiled. JVM (Java Virtual Machine) must be installed on the Windows Operating System in order for Java code, for instance, created on a MAC Operating System to function smoothly on a Windows Operating System.
- All Java programmes are expressed in the form of classes and objects since Java is only an object-oriented programming language.
- Java has automated memory management and is a multithreaded language. Because of its network-centric design, it provides excellent garbage collection characteristics and is often used for distributed computing.
- Java is dynamic and extensible.
- Java is also secure and robust.
Differences Between C and Java
| C | Java |
|---|---|
| C was developed by Dennis M. Ritchie between 1969 and 1973. | Java was developed by James Gosling in 1995. |
| C is a Procedural Programming Language. | Java is Object-Oriented language. |
| C is more procedure-oriented. | Java is more data-oriented. |
| C is a middle-level language because binding of the gaps takes place between machine level language and high-level languages. | Java is a high-level language because translation of code takes place into machine language using compiler or interpreter. |
| C is a compiled language that is it converts the code into machine language so that it could be understood by the machine or system. | Java is an Interpreted language that is in Java, the code is first transformed into bytecode and that bytecode is then executed by the JVM (Java Virtual Machine). |
| C generally breaks down into functions. | Java breaks down into Objects. |
| C programming language can be used for system programming as well as Application programming. | This is not the case in Java. |
| C does not contain the property called Inheritance because it does not support OOPS, which is very useful for code reusability. Thus C is not suited when one has to relate the things according to the real world. | Java contains the property of Inheritance which is very useful in code reusability. |
| Memory allocation can be done by malloc in C | Memory allocation can be done by a new keyword in Java. |
| C is a low-level language. It has difficult interpretation for the user but it has a closer significance to the machine-level code. | Java is a high-level language because translation of code takes place into machine language using compiler or interpreter. |
| In C89 declaration of variables is at the beginning of the block but in the latest version of C that is C99 we can also declare variables anywhere. | We can declare variables anywhere. |
| free is used for freeing the memory in C. | A compiler will free up the memory internally by calling the garbage collector. |
| C supports Threading. | Java supports the concept of threading. |
| C supports pointers. | Java does not supports pointers. |
| It is not portable. | It is portable. |
| Call by value and call by reference is supported in C. | It only supports a call by value. |
| C is platform dependent. | Java is a platform independent. |
| It supports user-based memory management. | It internally manages the memory. |
| C is not robust that is strict type checking does not takes place while compile and run time. | Java is robust. |
| Exception handling cannot be directly achieved in C and thus it lacks the maintenance of normal flow of the program. | Exception Handling is supported in Java. |
| It follows a top-down approach. | Java follows a bottom-up approach. |
| Overloading functionality is not supported by C. | Java supports method overloading which helps in code readability. |
| C supports Preprocessors. | Java does not support Preprocessors. |
| C does not supports OOPS concept. | Java supports OOPS concept. |
| Union and structure datatypes are supported by C. | Java does not supports union and structures. |
| C supports the storage classes. | Whereas Java does not support the storage classes. |
| It has 32 keywords. | It has 50 keywords. |
| Go-to statements are supported in C language. | Java does not supports go-to statements. |
| Virtual keywords are supported by C. | Virtual keywords are not supported by Java. |
| Overloading functionality is not supported by C. | Java supports method overloading which helps in code readability. |
| Default members of C are public. | Default members of Java are private. |
| Data hiding is done by using static in C. | Data hiding is done by using private in Java. |
