Before you start running towards me with the plate that you stole from the mess, here is the context:

If my goal is to land a job by cracking coding interview why should i bother learning C++!. Python is easier to get started , easier to write and it solves questions fast. If you just want to prepare for coding interview i would rather learn python, skip over the in-depth things of C++ as i can learn them after i get a job.

Is Python better than C++ ?

Before answering this we have to clarify on what basis are we differentiating. In terms of programming ability there is no doubt that C++ is a better programming language than python. C++ is a robust language which can be used to program anything you can imagine. In terms of performance, memory management there is no comparison between the two languages. Python is build on top of C. So in terms of muscle power C++ is the winner.

But, C++ is hard! Let us go back to the questions "Why beginners should not learn C++ ?". Our focus is on beginners, so despite all the benefits that C++ might have on python we have to focus on the experience that both the languages provide.

Is Python easier than C++ ?

If you are an beginner, you will struggle to setup C++ in a windows machine. You would have to configure Mingw, gcc and whatnot in order to able to write C++ code. Whereas for python you just need to install a single application and your done.

Even after the installation the most simple Hello World program will need you (you are a beginner who doesn't have written the c of coding in your life) to write :


#include <iostream>

int main() {
std::cout << "Hello World!";
return 0;
}

compared to this in python

print("hello world")

It doesn't look much different, both of them are same 🤷‍♂️

Yes, because they are the simplest one. Just try writing any other program where you have to write logic, functions, data types etc. It will be obvious that you would have to write much code in C++.

Python VS C++ in coding rounds

Learning C++ will defiantly make you a better programmer but will it feel good to get rejected by a company whereas someone less knowledgeable than you, wrote simple python code and got selected.

Well just recall any coding rounds you have given, most of them are not on hackerrank, leetcode or any other popular code editor, they are mostly on third party editor which is made by the recruitment team in which you have to write the whole setup code. In a test where time matters, focus matters is it wise to write more and complex code ?

The answer is NO, python is a easy language to write and it's code will be the simplest.

Simple code , less error, more chance of getting selected.

Best programming language for beginners

With all the things in consideration, we can confidently say that Python is a far better option than C++ for beginners. Whether it's ease of setup or code syntax, python is the idea language to learn for a beginner who want to clear the coding round as fast and as easily as possible.

And for the best coding language to exist we all know it's Java.