Is it enough to learn one language to develop any software for any operating system? Won't be any problem with their function?

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Am new at programming and want to start to learn. Over the net and books, there is no clear answer if it will be enough just one language to develop programs for any system.

What I have tried:

Python looks like a better choice to start, but I'm not sure if it will work perfect for everything, specially androids.

Posted 20-Oct-21 5:23am

T1xT

Updated 20-Oct-21 5:50am

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[no name] 20-Oct-21 14:09pm

You need to make up your mind: Python and / or Android programming. If Android, you pick the language most suited (when starting out).

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Richard MacCutchan · Accepted Answer · 2021-10-20T05:29:00

Solution 1

Despite many claims you cannot assume that any one language will work for every different OS and platform. And as someone who is new to development it is not something that you need to be concerned with. You should focus on one platform and one language to gain experience first. That should give you a grounding which will help you move to other systems later.

Python is easy to learn, and does work for many situations so is a reasonable choice to start with. Go to The Python Tutorial — Python 3.9.7 documentation[^] and see how you get on with it.

Posted 20-Oct-21 5:29am

Richard MacCutchan

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T1xT 20-Oct-21 12:17pm

On the net, many websites claim that python can develop android apps too, but it doesn't claim if its function will be as good as native apps written by java, so will it affect the function too much because codes need some converting at final?

Richard MacCutchan 20-Oct-21 12:23pm

The real question here is what are you trying to do? If, as you say, you are new to programming the you should not be concerned with which language may be better. Start by actually learning one and getting some solid experience with it. You will not be building Android (or any other type) apps after a couple of days, so get used to a fairly long learning process.

OriginalGriff · Accepted Answer · 2021-10-20T05:50:00

Solution 2

No, it's not.
Not all systems support all languages. For example: for Android native apps, you need Java, for iPhone native you need ObjectiveC. For web apps, you will need Javascript (even if you learn Python or PHP for the back end code).

The situation is changing - .NET languages are available for most OS's via Xamarin / Blazor but it's not perfect.

If you want to learn one language that fits into most environments, then I'd recommend you start with C# rather then Python.

Posted 20-Oct-21 5:50am

OriginalGriff

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T1xT 20-Oct-21 12:13pm

So if you develop an android app with c#, its function won't be as good as the same app written by java?

OriginalGriff 20-Oct-21 12:43pm

It's not a case of "as good", it's more complex than that. To write an Android app in C#, you need .NET on the android device (and a bunch of Xamarin stuff) - which is quite big and that makes a bigger download onto a "fresh" device.
The advantage is that the "same app" can run on Android, Windows, and iPhone (though Apple make the later quite hard, I understand). That's quite a benefit over writing an native ObjectiveC and a native Java, and a native C, C++, or C# app - if you need that.

"Best" and "Good" are subjective things, not objective!

Dave Kreskowiak 20-Oct-21 13:42pm

There is no such thing as "function won't be as good." The function of an app does not change because of which language was used to write it. It may change when you change frameworks (libraries) you use to write the app.

Most languages all use the same set of underlying concepts, mostly based on how modern processors work. Once you understand that and what these concepts are, it gets easier to move from one language to another and you start recognizing what languages have in common.

You are worried about the wrong things right now. What you should be worried about is learning one language, its syntax, data types, functions (methods), return values, how to break problems down to simpler solvable problems, ...

This is a long journey, and one the never ends. You have to teach yourself how to teach yourself, how to learn and apply what you learn. This field is changing all the time so there's always going to be stuff to learn.

Dave Kreskowiak 20-Oct-21 19:56pm

That is because you're running an emulator which is running the game. It has nothing to do with the language chosen and far more to do with the 11 year old hardware you're running it on.

OriginalGriff 21-Oct-21 2:15am

Dave is right: try running the same game on a playstation of similar vintage ... :laugh: