Java VS C++ || The Final Decision

[timothyb89]

Originally Posted by apalrd

If I had to choose between C++ and Java, I would choose C++ for robot programming:

1. The gigantic advantage Java has over C++ is that it can make pretty GUI's. However, that is completely useless in cRio programming as there is no GUI interface.

2. This year, Java was on its first year and C++ was on its second, however the old control system has been using C since 2004. C/C++ is much more proven and tested in FRC robotics as of now then Java.

3. I already know C++. I don't already know Java. I also know and like LabVIEW.

1. Trust me when I say that Java is *much* more capable than that. Desktop Java, as in version 1.6 with standard libraries is considerably more capable than vanilla C++. Even with the limited version you get on the cRIO (Java 1.3 with J2ME libraries) you can still do plenty. I have plenty of examples if you'd like .

2. With a new and different environment (the cRIO) you can hardly call it 'proven'. The (completely) new C libraries only have a year's head start on their Java equivalent, and having used both, I can say that both work very well.

3. A valid point, but I'd certainly recommend you give it a try- in most cases the syntax is identical or even simpler than a C/++ equivalent so the learning curve is actually quite small.

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

So is the provided FRC dashboard application.

That doesn't make it good. Trust me when I say that's one of the most inefficient programs I've seen in a long time. I honestly feel bad for the processor on our XO laptop while it (the dashboard) is running- the CPU usage shoots up to 100% rendering something that should barely take any CPU at all.

My opinion on LabVIEW: It may make coding convenient or easy, but that doesn't make it better than other tools.