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Here are the major differences between C And JAVA.

1. JAVA is Object-Oriented while C is procedural. Different Paradigms, that is.

Most differences between the features of the two languages arise due to the use of different programming paradigms. C breaks down to functions while JAVA breaks down to Objects. C is more procedure-oriented while JAVA is data-oriented.

2. Java is an Interpreted language while C is a compiled language.

We all know what a compiler does. It takes your code & translates it into something the machine can understand-that is to say-0's & 1's-the machine-level code. That's exactly what happens with our C code-it gets 'compiled'. While with JAVA, the code is first transformed to what is called the bytecode. This bytecode is then executed by the JVM(Java Virtual Machine). For the same reason, JAVA code is more portable.

3. C is a low-level language while JAVA is a high-level language.

C is a low-level language(difficult interpretation for the user, closer significance to the machine-level code) while JAVA is a high-level lagunage(abstracted from the machine-level details, closer significance to the program itself).

4. C uses the top-down {sharp & smooth} approach while JAVA uses the bottom-up {on the rocks} approach.

In C, formulating the program begins by defining the whole and then splitting them into smaller elements. JAVA(and C++ and other OOP languages) follows the bottom-up approach where the smaller elements combine together to form the whole.

5. Pointer go backstage in JAVA while C requires explicit handling of pointers.

When it comes to JAVA, we don't need the *'s & &'s to deal with pointers & their addressing. More formally, there is no pointer syntax required in JAVA. It does what it needs to do. While in JAVA, we do create references for objects.

6. The Behind-the-scenes Memory Management with JAVA & The User-Based Memory Management in C.

Remember 'malloc' & 'free'? Those are the library calls used in C to allocate & free chunks of memory for specific data(specified using the keyword 'sizeof'). Hence in C, the memory is managed by the user while JAVA uses a garbage collector that deletes the objects that no longer have any references to them.

7. JAVA supports Method Overloading while C does not support overloading at all.

JAVA supports function or method overloading-that is we can have two or more functions with the same name(with certain varying parameters like return types to allow the machine to differentiate between them). That it to say, we can overload methods with the same name having different method signatures. JAVA(unlike C++), does not support Operator Overloading while C does not allow overloading at all.

8. Unlike C, JAVA does not support Preprocessors, & does not really them.

The preprocessor directives like #include & #define, etc are considered one of the most essential elements of C programming. However, there are no preprocessors in JAVA. JAVA uses other alternatives for the preprocessors. For instance, public static final is used instead of the #define preprocessor. Java maps class names to a directory and file structure instead of the #include used to include files in C.

9. The standard Input & Output Functions.

Although this difference might not hold any conceptual(intuitive) significance, but it's maybe just the tradition. C uses the printf & scanf functions as its standard input & output while JAVA uses the System.out.print & System.in.read functions.

10. Exception Handling in JAVA And the errors & crashes in C.

When an error occurs in a Java program it results in an exception being thrown. It can then be handled using various exception handling techniques. While in C, if there's an error, there IS an error.

C++, as the name suggests is a superset of C. As a matter of fact, C++ can run most of C code while C cannot run C++ code. Here are the 10 major differences between C++ & C...

1. C follows the procedural programming paradigm while C++ is a multi-paradigm language(procedural as well as object oriented)

In case of C, importance is given to the steps or procedure of the program while C++ focuses on the data rather than the process.
Also, it is easier to implement/edit the code in case of C++ for the same reason.

2. In case of C, the data is not secured while the data is secured(hidden) in C++

This difference is due to specific OOP features like Data Hiding which are not present in C.

3. C is a low-level language while C++ is a middle-level language (Relatively, Please see the discussion at the end of the post)

C is regarded as a low-level language(difficult interpretation & less user friendly) while C++ has features of both low-level(concentration on whats going on in the machine hardware) & high-level languages(concentration on the program itself) & hence is regarded as a middle-level language.

4. C uses the top-down approach while C++ uses the bottom-up approach

In case of C, the program is formulated step by step, each step is processed into detail while in C++, the base elements are first formulated which then are linked together to give rise to larger systems.

5. C is function-driven while C++ is object-driven

Functions are the building blocks of a C program while objects are building blocks of a C++ program.

6. C++ supports function overloading while C does not

Overloading means two functions having the same name in the same program. This can be done only in C++ with the help of Polymorphism(an OOP feature)

7. We can use functions inside structures in C++ but not in C.

In case of C++, functions can be used inside a structure while structures cannot contain functions in C.

8. The NAMESPACE feature in C++ is absent in case of C

C++ uses NAMESPACE which avoid name collisions. For instance, two students enrolled in the same university cannot have the same roll number while two students in different universities might have the same roll number. The universities are two different namespace & hence contain the same roll number(identifier) but the same university(one namespace) cannot have two students with the same roll number(identifier)

9. The standard input & output functions differ in the two languages

C uses scanf & printf while C++ uses cin>> & cout<< as their respective input & output functions

10. C++ allows the use of reference variables while C does not

Reference variables allow two variable names to point to the same memory location. We cannot use these variables in C programming.

Don't forget to check out :

• 10 Major Differences Between C And JAVA
• C programming Tutorials
• C++ Programming Tutorials

MORE -

11. C++ supports Exception Handling while C does not.

C does not support it "formally" but it can always be implemented by other methods. Though you don't have the framework to throw & catch exceptions as in C++.

(will add more..)

UPDATES (ref to comments)-

Praveen - some of them r telling ‘C’ is a middle level language…..tell me the correct type of level language….?

Answer-@praveen – I agree there are always mixed opinions about this one. Some even like to call it a high-level language. But there’s really no determining factor behind the level of a programming language. Essentially, we’re making all the changes at the machine level, right? Now, as we increase the abstraction and move away from the machine-level, the level of the language increases. So, the level is nothing but the level of abstraction. So, most of the languages we use in applications today will have aspects of both machine-level and user-level. The two levels are machine-level & user(real world)-level while high & low levels are relative terms. Although, C is on a lower level of abstraction “relatively”- when compared to C++. Hence, referred to here as low-level.

Mitchell -
cin and cout are part of the std namespace, and they’re not functions. They’re almost like “pipes” in a sense. What you’re doing is essentially bit shifting (<> are bit shift operators) data into and out of them. As well, C++ still supports use of printf and scanf, so your std.cin and std.cout are by no means exclusive in their duties.