What is the Difference Between C and Java?
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: September 25th, 2023
Difference Between C and Java: C and Java are two programming languages that have influenced how people think about coding in general and development in particular. The major difference between C and Java is that C is one of the first programming languages to be invented, and it has served as the foundation for the development of many other programming languages such as Python, C++, C#, and so on whereas Java is one of the most popular and widely used programming languages because of its resilience and wide range of features.
Here in this article, we will discuss the difference between C and Java and briefly introduce both languages. Practically all coding enthusiasts would benefit greatly from learning the difference between these two excellent programming languages, C and Java.
Table of content
Difference Between C and Java
C and Java are two of the most popular programming languages in the world. They are often used to create web, mobile, and desktop applications. However, there are some key differences between them. The programming languages C and Java difference based on various factors is provided in the table below:
Key Differences Between C and Java
| C Language | Java |
| Dennis M. Ritchie created the C programming language in 1972. | James Gosling of Sun Microsystems invented Java. |
| The C programming language is a procedural programming language. | Java is an object-oriented programming language. |
| Both ‘call by value’ and ‘call by reference’ are supported in C. | Only call-by-value is supported in Java. |
| The .c file extension is used to hold C code. | The .java file extension is used to hold Java code. |
| C is classified as a middle-level language because it bridges the gap between machine and high-level languages. | Because code is translated into machine language via a compiler or interpreter, Java is a high-level language. |
| C is a procedure-oriented language. | Java is a data-driven language. |
| C is a computer language that may be used for both system and application development. | Java can only be used for application development, not system development. |
What is C language?
C, one of the world’s earliest general-purpose programming languages, was created by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labs between 1972 and 1973. C was created to build Unix utilities and was later used to re-implement the Unix operating system’s kernel.
C is used in developing firmware and portable systems in the modern era. C has many characteristics, including structured programming, lexical variable scope, and recursion, as well as a static type system. Because it includes the qualities of both high-level and low-level languages, C is sometimes known as a middle-level language.
What is Java?
Java is a high-level object-oriented programming language focusing on minimizing implementation dependencies. WORA (Write Once Read Anywhere) is a capability that Java supports. To put it another way, Java code that has been compiled can execute on any platform that supports Java without the need to recompile it.
Java also has support for several features that help developers create scalable applications. Applets, Servlets, JavaServer Pages, and other special classes make application development easier. The difference between Java and JavaScript can help you understand more about this. In addition, Java has several frameworks built on top of it, such as Spring, Dagger, and others, which make it easier for developers to collaborate.
Check out some important topics related to the difference between C and Java in the table provided below:
