C# vs Java: Which Is The Better Choice for Constructing Your Product?

However, the debate about the differences has continued. Consequently, business managers are confused when choosing a language for their team.

The truth is that both languages are very similar. C# and Java are objective-oriented, static-typed, and have similar syntax. Despite having many similarities, making a difference between C# and Java is possible, and we will discuss it in this article.

C# Advantages

• Object-oriented features (abstraction, encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism)
• Fast code execution – low memory and CPU usage
• Simple syntax – a vast range of keywords
• Easy CRUD operations by using LINQ
• High-security environment – statically typed language
• Perfect for developing enterprise applications, such as order management systems
• Suitable for web and game development
• Just-in-time compiler – Common Language Runtime (CLR)

C# Disadvantages

• Platform-dependent
• Lack of frameworks compared to Java

Java Advantages

• Object-oriented paradigm
• Platform-independent – write once, run everywhere
• Massive community support – 14 million active users
• A wide range of frameworks and software tools
• Safe language due to static code typing
• Perfect for Android development – officially supported by Android and Google
• Suitable for web and cloud development

Java Disadvantages

• Slightly slower applications compared to C#
• High system resource usage

What to Consider Before Choosing a Programming Language?

There is no “universal” answer to this question because every project is specific and requires a unique approach. Thus, picking a programming language mainly depends on a project’s requirements, such as complexity and targeted platform.

Want to ensure the correct programming language has been chosen for your project? Answer the following questions:

• What software solution are you developing (i.e., a web, mobile, or desktop application)?
• Which platform will run the solution (i.e., Windows, macOS, Linux, Android)?
• Does the language have a large community?
• Is it suitable for large and complex projects?
• What software development tools and libraries are available for it?

Pay special attention to your team’s tech capabilities. Do your team members have enough programming skills to get the most out of these languages? People with extensive or expert knowledge are always good for your team.

However, keep in mind that C# and Java ​are syntactically comparable. A highly-skilled Java programmer can quickly acquire C# techniques. But if junior developers prevail in your team, consider taking advantage of IT outsourcing.

Related read: Why Should You Outsource Software Development in 2023?

C# vs. Java: Key Differences Compared

Performance

Developers write human-readable code. It may contain words, keywords, and special characters a machine cannot understand. If we want a computer to understand our code, it has to be compiled into machine code.

A compiler takes high-level human-readable code and converts it into machine language. However, C# and Java are not directly converted or compiled into machine language. Both languages compile into something called intermediate or half-compiled code.

JAVA translates its code into Bytecode. It is not human-readable and does not contain processor instructions either. Java Virtual Machine or JVM compiles it into machine code.

The same applies to C#. Before compiling into machine code, C# code converts to Intermediate Language Code (IL). One of the .NET Framework’s components, Common Language Runtime (CLR), compiles it further into native machine code.

Both languages use JIT or Just-In-Time compilers. However, we must point out that Java’s JIT compiler is slightly slower and can force your application to occupy more computer resources. To avoid higher memory and CPU usage, consider choosing C#, which uses fewer resources and executes its code faster.

Winner: C#

Platform Independency

What does platform independence mean? A platform-independent programming language allows us to develop an application in one operating system and execute it in another. For example, a programmer can create an application in macOS and run it in Windows. This is the point where C# and Java ​​differ.

Until a few years ago, we could only run C# on Windows because it relies on the .NET framework initially intended for Windows operating systems. In 2016, Microsoft launched .NET Core, making C# compatible with Linux and Mac OSX.

Java-compiled code runs on all operating systems where Java virtual machine is available. C# requires different runtimes for different platforms, and its code has to be adapted for each platform. So, if you prefer making cross-platform software, Java might be a better choice.

Winner: Java

Community

Having a big community is a big plus for a programming language. They can help your software engineers learn new skills and share existing ones with others in the same field. Stack Overflow, Quora, and Reddit are the most popular knowledge-sharing platforms.

Selecting one programming language with a large community could be the right choice for you. Research carried out by Statista has shown that Java is more popular than C#. Java has 14 million active users, while C# has 10 million. Undoubtedly, both languages have massive communities, but Java is slightly better at this segment.

Winner: Java

Syntax

C# and Java belong to the same C language family. For this reason, there are many similarities between them. They are curly-brace languages with code statements wrapped into statement blocks.

One of the aspects that differentiates these languages ​​is the number of their keywords. C# contains about 80 keywords, while Java has around 50 keywords.

Keywords are beneficial when writing clean code and focusing on business logic. Instead of writing hundreds of statements, developers use keywords to shorten their code.

Equally important, C# and Java are statically-typed languages. In this case, programmers must write a data type before declaring a variable. For instance, that can be a number, string, boolean, etc. The statically typed feature makes a developer’s code error-resistant.

Considering all the above, C# successfully avoids complex syntax rules and errors and makes coding easier.

Winner: C#

Software Tools

Every development process starts with opening a code editor. Therefore, a programming language should support various software tools, including text editors, extensions, libraries, etc.

IDE, or Integrated Development Environment, is software that helps developers write conventional code. An IDE combines three crucial things – a code editor, compiler, and debugger. These features are essential for easy writing, reading, compiling, and testing code.

C# developers mostly use Visual Studio and MonoDevelop. On the other hand, Java engineers tend to use Eclipse, IntelliJ IDEA, and NetBeans.

All IDEs are designed to increase productivity and are a perfect playground for developing and debugging applications. They support installing various plugins and extensions to make software development more comfortable.

While some IDEs are limited to a single language, others can work with several programming languages. For instance, Eclipse and IntelliJ are Java IDEs, but IntelliJ supports other languages, such as XML or Python.

All of these we mentioned above are free. Microsoft’s Visual Studio has recently gained massive popularity because it supports multiple languages, extensions, GIT version control, and deployment.

Winner: Draw

Frameworks

A framework is a pre-written code intended to simplify the software development process. With that in mind, the main objective of a framework is to reduce code lines. Instead of manual coding, we can use predefined framework methods to manipulate data.

• These are the most common benefits of using a framework:
• Defining the structure of your application
• Writing clean and reusable code (no boilerplate code)
• Paying more attention to business logic instead of following complex syntax rules
• Implementing object-oriented concepts through easy-to-use methods
• Boosting software development productivity

Generally speaking, frameworks are the perfect addition to your projects. As a business owner, you can use them to deliver software projects successfully.

Both C# and Java offers plenty of incredible frameworks. See the tables below for more information.