There are approximately 700 programming languages in the world. In simple words, a programming language is used to give instructions to the computer to perform the task which we require. Have you ever wondered which is the fastest of all the programming languages in terms of execution speed? In most cases, speed is not the only metric to choose which language is the best. Every language has its specialty and every language is designed for specific functionalities.
Even though some programming languages are slow they are easy to use and drastically reduce the development and labor costs and also reduce time. The speed of the programming language depends upon various factors like:
- Compiler
- Cross-Platform
- Security
- Statically typed and dynamically typed
Compiler: The compiled languages are always going to be faster than interpreted languages. The compiler compiles all of the code into executable machine code at once, whereas the interpreter scans the program line by line and converts it into machine code. So it delays the execution time for interpreters. The compiler while compiling converts the high-level language into intermediary code which saves up most of the time during execution. The computer executes the intermediary code much faster than interpreters.
Cross-Platform: In some object-oriented languages like Java and C#, the source code would undergo both compilation and interpretation. Because of cross-platform usage and conversion into byte code, speed will be compromised here, which makes the cross-platform languages slower than other languages.
Security: Some languages like C are found to have a lot of vulnerabilities. Again it boils down to the compiler’s job to check for these vulnerabilities. Studies show that still, some popular languages are susceptible to many major errors. For example, C suffers from buffer errors, PHP is vulnerable to Cross-site scripting, and Python to input validation. In order to tackle these errors, some compilers are designed with additional security features. So the source code goes through various layers of security checks which makes the compilation process a bit slow. So the fastest language in this list is not the best in terms of security but better than others in execution time.
Statically typed vs Dynamically typed: Statically typed means the variable type is known at the compile time. It checks for the correct assignment of variables. If a variable is initialized multiple times with different data types, the errors are shown at compile time. Dynamically typed means checking the variable type during run time. It notifies the error in run time. In statically typed languages, type checking occurs before execution at the compile time. Whereas in dynamically typed languages the type checking occurs during run-time along with execution. So it makes statically typed languages faster than dynamically typed languages.
There may be cases in which one language might be faster than the other language but for the majority of the cases, the below list is acceptable.
10. Pascal
Pascal is a procedural and high-level programming language. It runs on Windows, macOS, and UNIX/Linux. Even though Pascal is in 10th position among these languages, it is faster when compared with other programming languages which are not on this list. Since Pascal is a statically typed language, it makes it run faster but not faster than other languages on this list.
9. F#
F# is an open-source, cross-platform programming language. F# is a .NET language and it can be used for creating web applications, mobile applications, data science, and cloud. It is almost similar in speed to C# but the asynchronous code runs faster in C# than in F#. The compiler is native in C# and optimized code can be generated. But in F#, the compilers are not native. This is the reason why F# comes below C#.
8. C#
C# is a general-purpose multi-paradigm programming language. C# can be used for creating web applications, mobile applications, augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) applications, and web services. C# has a garbage collector which is an efficient memory management technique but in the aspect of program execution, it takes more time when compared with C++. C# and Java are more or less of the same speed but the Java runtime is comparatively faster than C# in some cases. Though C# has many good features and functionality, it is a bit lower in the aspect of speed when compared with a few languages.
7. Java
Java is one of the widely used languages and it is very fast too. Despite using Java Virtual Machine, it is still faster than its counterparts like C#. It is not as fast as C or C++ because it is platform-independent. In java the source code is first converted into bytecode by the compiler, next java invokes the Java interpreter known as Java Virtual Machine. Then the class loader loads the byte code into the OS. Then the bytecode verifier of java checks the byte code for security issues. Then finally the execution engine converts the byte code into machine code. Since the languages like C# and java have to go through so many steps while compiling, they are comparatively slower than other languages in this list.
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6. Ada
Ada is a static, high level and object-oriented language. It supports concurrent programming and is more reliable. Even though it is very fast, it does not compromise the security aspect. Ada compilers can find the errors more efficiently. Some programmers say that programs written in Ada have fewer bugs and are executed faster. In order to achieve reliability, it compromises speed and that’s why it could not make it to the top of the list.
5. Julia
Julia is a high-level, high-performance dynamic programming language. Julia can be used to build applications and microservices. Julia supports multiple platforms. Other programs can integrate Julia. It is fast because of its design decisions and JIT compiler. The reason why it does not top the list is that it is a dynamic language.
4. Fortran
Fortran is a general-purpose language used for scientific calculations. It is known for its high performance and is used in ranking the fastest supercomputers. Fortran is widely used for numerical programming since it is faster. Since Fortran spends a lot of time reading and writing the data, it is slower than the three languages below on this list.
3. Rust
Rust is a high-level, multi-paradigm language designed for performance and safety. Rust is very fast because it has no runtime or garbage collector. It is not slower than C++ because it is inherently safer. The same safety cannot be achieved in C++ by the use of pointers but rust is safer by default. So it undergoes various safety checks while compiling. The checks are only run time and have zero performance on the language. The motto of being zero cost abstractions. As a result, it is a safer language that is not slower by nature. Therefore it is as fast as C++ and C.
2. C++
C++ is one of the most efficient and fastest languages. It is widely used by competitive programmers for its execution speed and Standard Template Libraries(STL). Even though C++ is more popular, it suffers from vulnerabilities like buffer error. C++ executes at more or less the same speed as its predecessor C. The only thing which makes C++ below C in speed is that it is safer and more complex than C, therefore the C++ code undergoes security checks by default which makes it slower than C.
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1. C
The special thing about C is, that there is nothing special. It is simple and very close to assembly language. In C, a lot of instructions are directly mapped to assembly instructions. But the extreme speed of the C language comes by compromising security. C is known to have the largest number of vulnerabilities among popular languages. It executes unsafe instructions without cross-checking. Like C++ it also suffers from buffer error. Though C has these disadvantages, it still tops the list because of its fast execution speed.
My Personal Notesarrow_drop_up
FAQs
Which programming language runs fastest? ›
Conclusion. C++ is the fastest programming language. It is a compiled language with a broad variety of applications that is simple to learn. C++ was the clear winner, with Java and Python coming in second and third, respectively.
Is Rust faster than C++? ›You can't just take any example you like and use it as proof that one language is slower than the other. In December 2019, Rust outperformed C++ in the Benchmarks Game. C++ has caught up somewhat since then. But as long as you keep using synthetic benchmarks, the languages are going to keep pulling ahead of each other.
Which is faster C or C++? ›It is very easy and straightforward to conclude between C vs C++ Performance. It is a known fact that C++ is an advanced and a superset of C. Hence C++ programming language possesses many new and advanced features compared to the C programming language.
What language is faster than C++? ›Python 3.14 Will be Faster than C++ | by Dennis Bakhuis | Towards Data Science.
Is C++ faster then Python? ›C++ is faster than Python because it is statically typed, which leads to a faster compilation of code. Python is slower than C++, it supports dynamic typing, and it also uses the interpreter, which makes the process of compilation slower.
What is a faster language than Python? ›JavaScript runs faster compared to Python, but it take less time to produce Python code. Python is better for data analytics, machine learning, or artificial intelligence as it's easier to understand and maintain than JavaScript.
Which is faster Python or Rust? ›Speed is directly related to the memory and performance efficiency of the program. Since Rust is more memory and performance efficient, Rust programs have a higher execution speed than Python programs.
Should I learn Rust or Python? ›Python is a good option for projects that need easy extensibility – there are still more Python developers on the market ready to help you boost your productivity. However, Rust will be your solution when security is first on your priorities list.
Why Rust is so fast? ›Rust is fast
Binaries are self-contained, with no external runtime apart from what the OS might provide, and the generated code is meant to perform as well as comparable code written in C or C++.
Unlike other popular programming languages including C# or JAVA, Python is dynamically typed and an interpreted language. It is slow primarily due to its dynamic nature and versatility.
What is the slowest programming language? ›
"Python is widely acknowledged as slow.
Why C is faster than Java? ›Another reason is closeness of C to the Assembly language, in most of the cases its instructions directly map to assembly language, C is only one or level two levels of abstraction away from assembly language while Java is at minimum 3 levels abstraction away from assembler.
What is the most efficient coding language? ›𝗖 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗹 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀.
Why Python is slower that C++? ›Though Python is an interpreted language, it first gets compiled into byte code. This byte code is then interpreted and executed by the Python Virtual Machine(PVM). This compilation and execution are what make Python slower than other low-level languages such as C/C++.
Which computer language is most powerful? ›The most powerful programming languages
However, some of the most commonly cited powerful programming languages include C++, Java, Python and Ruby. These languages are often chosen for their versatility, robustness and ability to handle complex tasks.
In practice, C# programs actually run faster than Python ones, and they use up less memory to do it.
Is C++ or Java faster? ›Speed and performance
Java is a favorite among developers, but because the code must first be interpreted during run-time, it's also slower. C++ is compiled to binaries, so it runs immediately and therefore faster than Java programs.
C++ performance. In contrast, a program written in C++ gets compiled directly into machine code -- without an intermediary translation required at runtime. This is one reason why C++ programs tend to perform faster than those written in Java.
Can Python ever be as fast as C? ›Due to being an interpreted and dynamically typed language, Python allows for extremely fast prototyping speeds but is unable to compete with the run times of C++, C, Fortran, as well as several other compiled languages.
Can Python be as fast as Java? ›Python and Java are two of the most popular and robust programming languages. Java is generally faster and more efficient than Python because it is a compiled language. As an interpreted language, Python has simpler, more concise syntax than Java.
Which is fastest Java or Python? ›
Java and Python are two of the most popular programming languages. Of the two, Java is the faster language, but Python is simpler and easier to learn.
What is replacing Python? ›Having evolved into a go-to programming language, Rust has seen an increase in its adoption. Although Python holds a firm place in the machine learning and data science community, Rust is likely to be used in the future as a more efficient backend for Python libraries. Rust has huge potential to replace Python.
Which is the No 1 programming language? ›As per the latest statistics, Python is the main coding language for around 80% of developers. The presence of extensive libraries in Python facilitates artificial intelligence, data science, and machine learning processes. Currently, Python is trending and can be regarded as the king of programming languages.
Does Rust overtake Python? ›Performance is a major reason why Rust is overtaken Python. There is no virtual machine or interpreter between your code and the computer since Rust is compiled directly into machine code. Another significant advantage of Rust over Python is its thread and memory management.
Is Rust future proof? ›Rust is the future's programming language. It is also the most popular and one of the highest paying languages in the world. It enables anyone to create dependable and efficient software. It combines the speed and low-level access of languages such as C/C++ with the memory security of modern languages.
Is Rust the future of programming? ›With both developers and major technology brands recognizing Rust's potential, it's set to be one of the most used and popular programming languages in 2023 (and beyond).
Will Python be replaced? ›The first question we must ask is: Will Python ever be replaced at all? If a language requires a complete and total rewrite, it's unlikely that it will ever see mainstream adoption again. Most modern languages, however, tend to support an existing infrastructure of programs built in earlier versions.
Why Rust is not popular? ›Moreover, it is slow. Rust is a snail compared to other languages. Even for small projects, the compile times are painfully long, and runtime measurements show that Rust is less efficient than the C programs. Imagine rewriting C libraries that have had decades of scrutiny applied only to introduce new bugs.
Should I learn Java or Rust? ›Java is a popular programming language used by developers; however, Rust has many advantages when it comes to performance, and security. With no runtime or garbage collector, it can power performance-critical services, run on embedded devices, and easily integrate with other languages.
Should I learn Go or Rust? ›Rust is great for building things like operating systems, file systems, and game engines. Go is best-suited for applications involving big data, machine learning, and editing massive files. In this post, we'll go a bit deeper to touch on each language's speed, performance, security, and ease-of-use.
What is the fastest speed in Python? ›
Speed settings can be set between 1 (slowest) to 10 (fastest). But if you set the speed to 0, it has a special meaning — turn off animation and go as fast as possible.
Is there a future for Python? ›Is Python developer a promising future profession? Python is not only one of the most widely used programming languages in the world, but it also has some of the most promising job prospects. The need for Python programmers is growing yearly. This high-level programming language is well-liked for a reason.
What is the fastest time to learn Python? ›First, I'll address how quickly you should be able to learn Python. If you're interested in learning the fundamentals of Python programming, it could take you as little as two weeks to learn, with routine practice.
What is the hardest coding language? ›- C++ C++ is an object-oriented programming language and is considered the fastest language out there. ...
- Prolog. Prolog stands for Logic Programming. ...
- LISP. LISP stands for List Processing. ...
- Haskell. ...
- Assembly Language (ASM) ...
- Rust. ...
- Esoteric Languages.
Malbolge. Malbolge was invented in 1998 by Ben Olmstead. This esolang is considered to be the most complicated programming language. It is said that the author of the Malbolge programming language never wrote any program using the language.
What's the hardest type of programming? ›C++ C++ is an extension of C which is an easy-to-learn language which is a general-purpose programming language. The applications such as Google Chromium and a few Microsoft applications are developed using C++. It is one of the hardest programming languages because it has a complex syntax to support versatility.
Why is C called mother of all languages? ›The C is a programming Language, developed by Dennis Ritchie for creating system applications that directly interact with the hardware devices such as drivers, kernels, etc. C programming is considered as the base for other programming languages, that is why it is known as mother language.
Why C is faster then Python? ›C is a faster language compared to Python as it is compiled. Python programs are usually slower than C programs as they are interpreted. In C, the type of the various variables must be declared when they are created, and only values of those particular types must be assigned to them.
What is a faster language than C? ›This is why Fortran is often faster than C. This is why numerical libraries are still written in Fortran. However, it comes at the cost of pointer arithmetic.
Which is the easiest and fastest programming language? ›If you're new to the world of programming, Python is the best coding language to start with. It's a beginner-friendly code with a simplified syntax, using fewer lines than other coding languages, making it easy to read, understand, and use.
What are the top 3 programming languages? ›
As far as web and software development goes, Python, followed by Java, JavaScript, and C++, are among the most popular programming languages in today's market.
Why does Python not use C++ for games? ›C++ is: Much faster than Python, which is prone to lag when faced with the heavy server load of a video game. Compatible with more engines and programming languages, so you can do more with your game. Ideal for developing your own game engine, which expands your creative potential.
Why is Python so popular despite being so slow? ›According to experts, the reasons why Python is so slow are because it is s Global Interpreter (LockGIL), it isn't a compiled language (Interpreted language), and Python is a programming language that is dynamically typed. Python is widely regarded as lightning fast compared to other programming languages.
Why is C++ not used more? ›High complexity: Because C++ is more closely related to C than other high-level languages, the code is quite complex. As a result, orienting developers in bigger projects might be difficult. Furthermore, writing applications usually requires longer development cycles than with python, java or C# for instance.
What language is booming? ›JavaScript and Python, two of the most popular languages in the startup industry, are in high demand. Most startups use Python-based backend frameworks such as Django (Python), Flask (Python), and NodeJS (JavaScript).
Which language make computer smarter? ›There are several languages that are used for machine learning, including Python, Java, and C++.
Does Python or Java run faster? ›Python and Java are two of the most popular and robust programming languages. Java is generally faster and more efficient than Python because it is a compiled language. As an interpreted language, Python has simpler, more concise syntax than Java.
Which is fastest language C or Python? ›C is a faster language compared to Python as it is compiled. Python programs are usually slower than C programs as they are interpreted. In C, the type of the various variables must be declared when they are created, and only values of those particular types must be assigned to them.
Which language is fast C C++ or Java or Python? ›While C++ is quite faster in terms of speed of execution. So overall it depends on the requirements if the target is to do Machine Learning, then go for Python. If the target is to do system programming, then go for C++.
Can Java beat Python? ›It also makes Java codebases larger in terms of total lines of code, which in turn makes the code harder to manage. By contrast, Python may not be the world's most concise language, but it's certainly less verbose than Java.
Is Python overtaking Java? ›
Although Python is used by the majority of developers and, according to industry experts, Python is used by the majority of industries. However, this programming language can still not overtake Java because it needs more resources to replace it truly.
Which pays more Java or Python? ›Salary and Jobs
In India, the average salary for a Java developer is ₹4,55,000 per annum(Source: Glassdoor) and for a Python developer, it is ₹4,46,000 per annum(Source: Glassdoor). So if you become flawless in Java or Python, you can easily start your career as a developer.
Java has solid runtime performance, but C++ still holds the crown since manual memory management is faster than garbage collection for real-world applications. Though Java can outperform C++ in certain corner cases due to JIT compilation, C++ wins most non-trivial cases.
Why Python is slower than Java? ›Python programs are generally expected to run slower than Java programs, but they also take much less time to develop. Python programs are typically 3-5 times shorter than equivalent Java programs. This difference can be attributed to Python's built-in high-level data types and its dynamic typing.
Does C++ run faster than C#? ›Performance: C++ is widely used when higher level languages are not efficient. C++ code is much faster than C# code, which makes it a better solution for applications where performance is important.