C# vs JavaScript

by Friedman

There are times when C# and JavaScript do overlap and not just in the sense that both might have to be used for the same client or project. To be honest, there are very few computers that don't have Java applications installed as a base program to support Web browsing, including Microsoft computers, ironically enough. JavaScript can and does run simultaneously with C#, both in terms of application and in terms of coding.

However, because C# is a coding language used on the server side and JavaScript is a coding language that is used on the client side, there are more differences than similarities between these two languages. Even on the rare occasion when JavaScript is being used outside of building Web platforms, it isn't likely that this code will do anything other than run as support for C#. However, to be fair, if your operating system software isn't Microsoft, the chances of using C# are very slim since Apple and Lynx use different programming languages.

Overall, there isn't a whole lot of overlap with C# vs JavaScript. But, there are a lot of distinctions.

Types of Language

You can think of different coding languages as being as independent from each other as Chinese and Russian. But, when we talk about the "type" of language a code is, we are mostly referring to how the code functions. The distinction between "types" of languages is more similar to the difference between imperative and declarative sentences in English. The "type" of language refers to how the language pattern works in the program. In C# vs JavaScript, Java is a scripting language and C# is an object-oriented language. One makes demands, and the other gives directions.

Simplicity

JavaScript is a dynamic typed coding language, which means that it does not need to be modified for the same variable to be in two places. C#, on the other hand, is a static typed coding language, which means that every variable needs to be independently modified. Some say this makes C# the simpler language between the two, especially since C# encounters fewer coding errors during execution than JavaScript.

Error Detection

This is probably the distinction that is most obvious to coders, mostly because it can be the most frustrating. The difference is very simple: JavaScript cannot detect errors until the coding is complete and the program is being executed, whereas, in C#, you can detect an error in the code and alter it at any time. For this reason, JavaScript is often a source of continued frustration because it forces the programmer to comb through the entire code to find the error after everything else has been completed, which means altering any variables linked to the code until the program runs smoothly. C# does not have the same issue.

Compilation

This refers to how the code is run on the computer. JavaScript compiles and runs codes independently in browsers without the need for any assistance. C# requires the extra step of compiling codes in order to run a program. However, some might not consider this to be a fair comparison because of how each coding language is generally used. It makes sense for JavaScript to have independent compilation because it functions as a support to the Web. It also makes sense for C# to need the extra step since the language is used to direct software.

Maintenance

Code Maintenance is a big deal for computer programmers and links directly back to the simplicity of the typed language each code uses. Because JavaScript is dynamic typed, the maintenance for the code is usually a hassle since the entire code needs to be hauled out and examined to update or fix errors. The static typed C# code, on the other hand, is easy to maintain, just like it is easy to detect and fix errors.

Productivity

Again, JavaScript has the unfortunate distinction as being tiresome to use. When a coder is using JavaScript, there is no additional support within the program to help the coding get done faster. C# is very much the opposite, especially with newer versions including auto-completion and dynamic typing to assist in error detection and speedy coding. C# allows more to get done at a faster rate with fewer errors.

Platforms

As mentioned before, Java supports Web-based programming and is included already installed on most computers as a simple matter of being a program that runs in the background. For that reason, JavaScript is supported across many different platforms, including different software applications and different browsers. JavaScript can more or less be used anywhere. However, C# is grounded to Microsoft software and requires the use of a plug-in on the internet if it needs to be used on different platforms. In C# vs JavaScript, the more versatile of the two is JavaScript. It should be noted, however, that C# has more cross-platform support than JavaScript.

Consistency and Flexibility

It should come as no surprise at this point that C# is the more consistent and more flexible coding language between the two. This is mostly related to the automatic error detection that is linked to the C# programming. However, C# also has fewer running errors than JavaScript and can also be used in more ways than JavaScript.

Syntax

JavaScript runs on a syntax that is based in HTML, and, as such, the syntax is more complex on top of being higher-maintenance. C# runs on a concise, command-based syntax that is easier to use and easier to learn. Syntax matters to coders in the sense that it is easier to be frank about something than it is to beat around the bush. JavaScript requires coders to jump through a few hoops, whereas C# allows coders to write in simple syntax.