“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” – Inigio Montoya, Princess Bride

Words have very specific meanings, and here in the software development biz, it’s important to stay up with all the latest terminology.  (See what I did there?  By use the slang “biz” instead of the more conventional “business,” I let you know that I am “hip.”)

1. Java vs. Javascript

These might sound alike, but they are in no way related.  I repeat, no way related.

  • Java is a programming language developed in the 90s, which is updated regularly and still in use today (think Android).
  • Javascript is a scripting language that allows portions of webpages or other apps to be updated without reloading the whole page.  The creators of Javascript, at the time, were trying to ride the coat tails, so to speak, of the immensely popular Java.

2. C, C++, C#, and Objective-C

These are all programming languages that reference the third letter of the alphabet.  Isn’t that convenient?

  • C is the grandfather of modern programmings created in the 1970s (A and B are, respectively, the first and second languages).
  • C++ (C-plus-plus) is an updated (in 1983) variation on C, and is one of the most useful languages around.  C++ allows the programmer much more freedom to interact directly with the machine than newer languages, such as Ruby, which abstract away much of the complex hardware machinery.
  • C# was created by Microsoft in 2001 and has influences from Java and C++.  Also, this is not “C pound.”  It’s pronounced “C Sharp.” (True story)
  • Objective-C was created by Apple back in 1986 in no way relates to C or C++.  Objective-C has quickly gained fame because it is the programming language required to create iOS (iPhone / iPad) Applications.  Android on the other hand uses Java

In the end there are so many programing languages maybe we should add a FAQ section to the blog.

3. Platforms, Frameworks, and Databases

  • A platform is the hardware device which runs a software application. Example- Xbox
  • Frameworks are pre-built code, such as functions which help the software programmer focus on their application rather than focus on the low-level, generic details of the platform.  Frameworks usually work with specific and limited languages.  Example- Ruby on Rails is an example of a language (Ruby) which uses the a specified framework (Rails).
  • Database store related data in tables of information.  Example- Oracle

*Hat tip to CopyBlogger who wrote a similarly titled but differently themed post: The Inigo Montoya Guide to 27 Commonly Misused Words