Comparing C++,

Java and C#
A Broad Perspective
Why learn a
language?
A language is not worth knowing
unless it teaches you to think
differently
– Larry wall & Randal Schwartz
What’s in a
language?
Just like a human being
it has its own characteristics
way of expression
strongholds and weaknesses
and more than everything
it has a lively spirit
Why do we need it?
‘it provides a vehicle for the
programmer to specify actions to be
executed and
it provides a set of concepts for the
programmer to use when thinking
about what can be done’
– Bjarne Stroustrup
Why C++, Java and
C#?
Most prominent languages
Very close relationship
Object oriented
Part of C language family
- a common ancestry
Why Comparative
Approach?
Represent different generations
Distinct languages
Their own specialties
How to learn a
Language?
Having a broad picture
Syntax, semantics and pragmatics
traps and pitfalls
Of course, practice/experience
A Broad Picture?

The underlying technology

Evolution and
Design considerations
The Underlying
Technology?
Approaches in Language Translation
Intermediate Languages
Where C++, Java and C# fits
Approaches in
Language Translation?

Compilation
Interpretation
A mix of both
A mix of both?

Intermediate Languages
Virtual Machine
Portability and Language
Interoperability
Intermediate
Languages?
The Approach:
No loss of significant info
Don’t keep any other info!
Examples?

Three Address Code

Object Files
Tree Representations
Using another high level language!
Stack Based
Approach?
P-code (UCSD Pascal)
Bytecodes (Java)
MSIL (.NET)
How to Improve
Performance?
JIT (Just in Time)
Pre-JIT (Ahead of Time)
Aggressive optimizations
‘fat’ class files and Hardware chips
A Retrospect – C!

B language - threaded code!

‘virtual B’ ! (Ken Thompson)
C - drastic change in the translation
approach – native code!
Evolution?

Language is the archives of history

- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Why C++?
Why Java?
Why C#?
Design Overview
Design?

‘As I write a program, I should use a

language that minimizes the distance
between the problem solving
strategies that I have in my head and
the program text I eventually write on
paper’ - Jon Bentley (Programming Pearls)
Why Language Design
is Challenging?

Because design itself is all about

aspiring for the best solution, yet
striking a balance and making
compromises!
Example?

Language Features -
As simple as possible but no
simpler! (Albert Einstein)
Neither can you have lots of
features nor less features
Why Conceptual
simplicity ?
Essential feature of any software
Many technically superior produces
fail as they lack this
Evolve or Build-
From-the-Scratch?
Pros and Cons
Conclusion? Neither
Ideally a mix-of-both
Is a ‘Revolutionary’
Language Possible?
No.
Because there can be ‘No Silver
Bullets’ – Fredrick P Brooks
‘No Silver Bullets’?

‘There is no single development, in

either technology or management
technique, which by itself promises
even one order-of-magnitude
improvement within a decade in
productivity, in reliability and simplicity’
- Fredrick P Brooks (The Mythical Man Month)
Design of C++, Java
and C# ?
syntactically similar
but differ considerably in their design
approach
Examples? Portability, ‘trust the
programmer’ and library support
How approach to
portability differs?
C++ - as efficient as possible even at
the cost of portability
Java - as portable as possible even at
the cost of efficiency
C# - follow Java’s approach and still
support C++ philosophy!
Which extent to ‘trust
the programmer’ ?

C++ - just ‘trust the programmer’

Java - don’t trust him!
C# - don’t trust and help him avoid
getting into trouble!
Part of the Language
or not?
Library Support
Pros and cons
C philosophy – ‘keep it in the library’
- reputation of being the most reused library
in the programming language history
All three - extensive library support
Why C as Base
Language?
‘C is clearly not the cleanest language
ever designed nor the easiest to use,
so why do many people use it?’
- Bjarne Stroustrup
How C is Base
Language?
‘Pragmatic’ family of languages
General purpose, free-formatted and
strongly typed
Efficiency and portability
Library support and Curt code
An Example?
Floating Points
No floats in switch
Maps to the underlying support
‘keep the built-in operations close to the
machine (and efficient)’ - C philosophy
All floating point arithmetic in double
precision
How C++ is
Designed?
multi-paradigm language
designed for implementing class
libraries and frameworks
evolutionary design
for large-scale programming
How Java is
Designed?
If a feature can be done by a class,
don’t support it in the language
Make the life of programmer easier
Keep the language simple
How C# is
Designed?
Primarily to get maximum out of .NET
combines best features of languages
plus its own new features
component programming
Which Language is
THE Best?
Misleading question
No language is perfect or ideal
Influence other languages
Conclusion?

No language is the best

History has shown - every language
has its place in the world of
programming!