So, you want to know if you can learn Java and C++ at the same time? Well, the answer to that question is technically yes. But should you learn Java and C++ at the same time? Definitely not.
In this article, I am going to tell you why learning Java and C++ at the same time is actually a bad idea. In doing so, I hope you take away a new understanding of how you should be learning to code. Including understanding that you should not try to learn multiple programming languages at one time.
So without further ado, let’s jump right in!
Why You Shouldn’t Learn Java And C++ At The Same Time
1. Don’t Learn Too Much At Once
The main reason why you should not learn programming in both Java and C++ at the same time is that it’s simply too much to learn. There are certainly ways to learn how to code faster, but it is still going to take a serious commitment of time on your end. It can take a lifetime to learn a language like C or C++.
If you try to bite off more than you can chew, you are going to end up overwhelmed and stressed out. It’s one of the biggest mistakes new developers make. It can be tempting to try and learn everything all at once, but I can tell you from experience that you will learn a lot more if you slow down and work on an individual technology in isolation before you start learning them in conjunction with others.
2. You Will Confuse The Syntax And Style of Coding
Another major roadblock that is going to slow you down is trying to understand the syntax of both languages at once. When you are studying a language for the first time, the syntax is going to look foreign. Trying to learn two different language syntaxes simultaneously will just make you confuse which language is which.
Comparing and contrasting two languages can be very helpful in learning and understanding a second language. However, when you are using two programming languages, it is much easier to learn when you already fully understand the syntax of the other.
3. C++ Is A Hard Language To Learn
Another major reason you should not learn Java and C++ at the same time is that C++ is simply a difficult language to learn.
C++ has plenty of challenging and complex components like variable pointers, dereferencing, function pointers, and memory allocation. It also requires a deeper understanding of primitive algorithms for sorting and searching.
All of these concepts are really not required to pick up a language like Java and just adds to the complexity of trying to learn both languages at the same time. Especially for a beginner programmer!
Which Language Should You Learn First?
It really doesn’t matter which languages you choose to learn first. You certainly don’t need to learn C++ before Java or vice versa. However, both have their benefits and drawbacks that you should know about.
C++ will ultimately teach you much more about core programming concepts that will help you through your career. As I mentioned before, it is a much more challenging language to learn and will be more difficult to start with. For that reason, you might be better off learning Java first and then jumping into C++ after.
Java is ultimately easier to code in and easier to get a job with. It will also produce results much faster and you will probably have more fun learning it as you start out.
However, that’s not the best path for some people. Some people actually like that there is less “magic” in C++. It is a much more raw, deep look into programming language design. Which can be very motivating for some people.
In fact, this was very true for me. The biggest thing holding me back in my programming journey was not understanding the layers of abstraction underneath the languages I was learning. If that sounds like you, it may be better to learn C++ first.
Is It Possible To Learn Java And C++ At The Same Time?
If you don’t want to take my advice, you should know it is definitely possible to learn both Java and C++ at the same time if you absolutely want to. Both follow the same programming paradigm and are closer related to each other than many other languages, such as Java and JavaScript.
Many people have done it and you can do it too. However, you will learn a lot faster if you just stick to one and learn the second later.
Summarizing
So that’s pretty much all you need to know! No, you shouldn’t learn Java and C++ at the same time. It is simply a bad idea to try and learn two programming languages at once. It can be confusing to try and learn two different syntaxes at the same time and it is simply faster and easier to learn them in isolation. Not to mention C++ is one of the hardest non-esoteric programming languages to learn!
However, if you must do it, it is totally possible to learn both languages at once.
If you are looking for some great Java courses, check these out.
If you are looking for some great C++ courses, check these out.
As always, good luck and happy coding!
