I'm choosing my first programming language. My main goal is to make games without relying on large engines such as Unreal or Unity, although I may use Godot or a library like Raylib. I'm also considering electrical engineering, so I might eventually work with microcontrollers or embedded systems. Should I start with C or C++? Can C++ be used effectively on platforms such as Arduino and ESP32, and does C offer meaningful advantages because it has less overhead? I'm also interested in learning lower-level concepts and optimization, but I want to choose a language that won't make getting started unnecessarily difficult.
4 Answers
Both are reasonable, but they lead to slightly different paths. C is smaller and easier to understand at first, so it can teach pointers, memory, data layout, and how programs interact with hardware. C++ is much larger, but it is commonly used for serious game development and can also target microcontrollers. You do not need to manually manage every allocation in either language; modern C++ often uses containers and smart pointers, while embedded C++ may avoid dynamic allocation depending on the project. Pick the one that keeps you motivated, then learn the other later—the core concepts transfer well.
There is no need to treat this as a permanent decision. You could begin with C to learn fundamentals, then move to C++ once you are comfortable, or start directly with C++ if game development is the stronger motivation. Just remember that C++ is not simply 'C with a few additions'; idiomatic C++ uses different approaches for strings, arrays, resource management, and abstractions. Learning C first helps with low-level concepts, but it does not replace learning modern C++ practices.
For games, Godot with GDScript is probably the quickest way to start making things, and Raylib is a nice option if you specifically want to practice C or C++. Writing a complete modern game engine from scratch is a very large project, so using a framework lets you focus on gameplay and simulations instead of spending months implementing windowing, rendering, audio, input, and asset systems. If you want a lower-level, compiled language for the long term, C++ is a practical choice, but learn it in a limited, beginner-friendly subset rather than trying to master the entire language immediately.
C++ absolutely can be used for Arduino, ESP32, and many other microcontrollers. Arduino sketches are generally compiled as C++, even though they often look like C. C is still extremely common in embedded work because it has a small runtime, predictable behavior, and excellent compiler and hardware support. That does not automatically make it faster: a well-written C++ program can produce similar machine code, while some C++ features may be unsuitable for a particular constrained device. The right choice depends on the toolchain, memory limits, and project requirements.
That makes sense. I’m leaning toward C++ because games are my main goal, and I can study C later if I move toward embedded systems.