C# vs Java

If you want to work on games, web apps, desktop applications, and augmented and virtual reality apps, you should learn C#. If you want to work on big data, web applications, cloud-based app development, and Android apps, you should learn Java.

I have worked with both C# and Java on simple web development projects, I have found each of them very useful but I have enjoyed working with C# because of its simplicity.

It is worth noting that C# runs on the .NET. It enables developers to build many types of secure and robust applications that run in .NET.

Java on the other hand is designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible. It is intended to let programmers write once, run anywhere (WORA).

This means that compiled Java code can run on all platforms that support Java without the need to recompile.

There are many factors to consider when learning a new technology or programming language.

Popularity, opportunities, types of projects, salaries, resources, learning curve, etc. are some of the factors that many people consider when choosing to learn a programming language or a framework.

JAVA VS C# POPULARITY

If you want to learn a programming language or framework solely for its popularity among developers, you should learn Java. Oracle reports that Java powers more than 15 billion devices.

Java is a very popular choice for web development, big data, cloud development, Android applications, etc. while C# is very popular for web development, desktop applications, and game development.

Generally, Java is more popular than C#. The TIOBE index 2023 ranks Java as the 3rd most popular programming language while C# is ranked as the 5th most popular programming language.

According to a Stack Overflow survey of 2022, Java is the 6th most commonly used programming language, it is used by 33.27% of professional developers.

On the other hand, C# is the 8th most commonly used programming language, it is used by 27.98% of professional developers.

Further, Java is very popular especially in the enterprise world, although Java remains more popular than C#, C# is gaining a lot of popularity and more developers reported to love C# than Java.

C# is loved by 63.39% of developers versus 36.61% of developers who dreaded it. Java on the other hand is loved by 45.75% of developers versus 54.25% of developers who dreaded it.

So, if your choice of which programming language to learn depends on popularity, you should learn Java. But bear in mind that C# is rapidly growing in popularity.

Further, there are more opportunities for Java Developers than C# developers because Java is more widely used by many companies than C#.

Java is also one of the most popular programming languages taught to many students of computer science in many universities.

However, because Java is very popular and commonly used by many companies, there is going to be more competition for Java opportunities than for C# opportunities. In this regard, a C# developer may get a job easily because of less competition.

Here are some of the popular jobs that you can get as a Java developer.

JAVA VS C# SALARY

Another popular criterion that many people use as an incentive to learn a new programming language is salary. Salaries for developers differ from one company to the other and from one country to the other.

Experience is another factor that comes into play as far as salaries are concerned. The more experience you have with a certain technology or programming language, the more likely you are of getting a higher salary.

Generally, C# developers get higher salaries than Java developers. According to a Stack Overflow survey of 2022, C# Developers get an average salary of $69,516 per year while Java developers get $64,572 per year.

Glassdoor reported that in the United States, C# developers with 1 – 3 years of experience get a base salary of $86,755 per year, and Java developers with 1 – 3 years of experience get a base salary of $78,896, about $7,800 lower than C# developers.

So, if the salary is your major incentive for learning a language or framework, you should learn C#, because you are more likely to get a higher salary as a C# developer than as a Java developer.

C# VS JAVA WHICH ONE IS EASIER

Some programming languages can be learned more easily than others. If you want a programming language that you can easily pick up and develop different types of applications, you should learn C#.

C# is easy to learn than Java. Although C# borrows a lot of concepts from Java and other C languages, it is much easier to work with than Java.

C# has an easy-to-understand syntax that makes it relatively easy to write code. Getting started with C# is much easier than with Java.

Contrastingly, Java is verbose, it is not very easy to work with a Java codebase, and Java is not a beginner-friendly language, especially when compared to C# which is easy to pick up.

The good news is that there are many helpful resources for both Java and C# to help you learn the languages. The Java and C# communities are very active and helpful, in case you get stuck with something.

FEATURES AND APPLICATIONS

C# and Java have many similarities and some of their uses can intersect. They both have a garbage collector and developers don’t have to worry about manually managing memory.

C# runs on the .NET, which gives C# a lot of features and functionality. The .NET also includes extensive libraries, these libraries support many different workloads. 

C# has many amazing features that make it suitable for game development, full-stack web development, desktop app development, machine learning, and Augmented and Virtual Reality apps.

C# is used by many companies such as Stack Overflow, Forza Horizon, Microsoft, UPS, Tencent, Alaska Airlines, BBC, Just Giving, FreshDirect, BBVA, LightSail, Astro Reality, VQ Communications, GoDaddy, Raygun, and many others.

Java helps developers to write once and run everywhere. This makes Java very popular, it is suitable for Android app development, web development, big data, micro-services, etc.

Java powers some of the complex applications developed by companies like Google, Oracle, Airbnb, Intel, Amazon, eBay, Microsoft, Pinterest, Uber, LinkedIn, Flipkart, TripAdvisor, and many others.

SHOULD I LEARN JAVA OR C#

Once you have evaluated all the factors, you can choose which programming language to learn depending on the factors that are on your side.

If you want a language that can fetch you a higher salary and one you can use to develop games, desktop applications, full-stack web applications, Augmented Reality, and Virtual Reality applications, you should learn C#.

If you want a popular language that can help you work on big data technology, cloud applications, web applications, distributed applications, and Android apps, you should learn Java.