Learning a language is one thing, being an expert in it is another.
There are tons of programming languages to choose from whether you want to become a professional or you are just having fun.
Choosing a language to learn has been always a question. In this article, we are going to compare the two most widely used programming languages: Go and C++.
We are going to see their advantages, and disadvantages and we are going to compare their speed, performance, security, and their learning approach. Let’s get started.
What is the Go language?
Go language which is also called Golang is a procedural programming language. Google develops Golang, which is an open-source statically-typed compiled language. It is made public to people in 2009. It was designed by Ken Thompson, Robert Griesemer, and Rob Pike to replace high-performance server-side languages like C++ and Java.
Go language supports Concurrency which allows running multiple processes simultaneously
Go quickly became popular and became many developers' first choice because of its simplicity, readability, efficiency, and concurrent nature.
Where Golang is used?
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Distributed Network Services
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Cloud-Native Development
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Replacements for Existing Infrastructure
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Utilities and Stand-Alone Tools
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News Outlets
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Media Platform
You can check out StudyTonights' Video on What is Go language?.
What is C++?
C++ is a general-purpose language that supports object-oriented programming. C++ was created by Bjarne Stroustrup at Bell Labs circa 1980.
C++ supports procedural programming, object-oriented programming,and functional programming.
It was created to create an easier version of the C language that supports classes and objects therefore, it was initially named C with classes.
T is a very powerful language that can be used to develop operating systems, browsers, and games. Many programming languages like Java and C# are influenced by C++.
Various companies like Bloomberg, Amazon, Google, and Facebook use C++.
If you want to become an expert in C++, we have an easy learning path for you, check out our tutorial here.
Where C++ is used?
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Operating Systems
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GUI Based Applications
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Embedded Systems
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Compilers
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Various Banking Applications
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Games
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Database Management Software
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Cloud/Distributed Systems
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Libraries
Main Differences between Go VS C++
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Golang follows a top-down approach and C++follows a bottom-up approach.
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Go language is mainly used for server-side programming, on the other hand, C++ is mainly used to develop Games and it is also used in competitive programming.
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C++ is a multi-paradigm language, it supports OOP, procedural and functional programming, whereas the Go language is a procedural language and does not support Classes and Objects.
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Go language has an easy syntax and it is more readable and compact than C++.
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Is Golang faster than C++? If you have this question then yes, Go is faster than C++.
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Go has an efficient garbage collector which boosts the performance but this is where it C++ doesn’t have competition. The minimalist and traditional structure makes C++ best at performance.
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According to a survey, Golang is the 5th most loved language and C++ is the number 8.
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Both languages have better security but buffer overflows can happen in C++ that can cause the program to crash, this gives Go languages an upper hand.
Is Golang better than C++?
Both Go and C++ are powerful languages and choosing a better language between one of them is a difficult decision. Go is popular for server-side programming and C++ is used to make operating systems and video games.
Go is easy to learn and has more readability than C++.
C++ is perfect for experienced programmers. due to its easy learning curve, Beginners can also learn the Go language.
Conclusion
C++ is mostly used for hardware programming and embedded devices, It is an old but powerful language that can be used to develop small applications.
Go language is built for larger software, it is used to manage bigger systems.
Choosing a language for a project is up to you, whether you want a language that has higher performance like C++ or you want a modern, popular, and powerful language like Golang.
For infrastructure and large systems, you should choose Go and for creating games and other powerful systems, choose C++.
Learning Go will help you to become a professional and in-demand programmer, check out our Go programming tutorial if you want to become a successful developer.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is Golang easier to learn than C++?
Go is generally considered easier to learn than C++ the reason can be because Go is C-inspired and it's more readable than that C++.
2. Is Go faster than C++?
Yes, Go is faster than C++. Go has an efficient garbage collector that boosts performance, but C++ has a minimalist and traditional structure that makes it best at performance.
3. What are the advantages of learning the Go language?
The advantages of learning the Go language are that it can help you become a professional and in-demand programmer due to its high readability, efficiency, and ease of learning beacause of its concurrency support.
4. Does Golang provide higher pay than C++?
Generally, Golang provides higher pay than C++, but it depends on your skills and experience in the programming field. According to ZipRecruiter, the average Go Developer in the United States earns $123,400 a year and an average C++ developer makes $117,551 per year.
