6
amoux
3y

After using and learning programming with Python for two years and getting comfortable with the language's ins-and-outs, now it has come the time to learn my second language. I selected C++, and I am so glad I waited until I understood my first language before jumping into a new one because it was worth the time. Before, C++ looked intimidating, but now I see its beauty (reasonably strongly typed language). It took me some hours to understand the basics and ended the day making a simple Python-3 adapter using C++.

Side notes:
Maybe because I am a noob, I don't see why Rust is preferred over C++?

While I only plan to use C++ to speed heavy preprocessing tasks within Python projects - I was surprised to find no NLP libraries?

Comments
  • 6
    C++ has 30+ years of compatibility baggage while Rust is a fresh approach to the same problem so it's generally prefered

    On the topic of libraries, a quick google search spat up atleast a dozen fairly established C++ NLP libraries... you sure you're hitting the right keywords?
  • 1
    Get into CPP hard before getting to know Rust. It's a childlike wonder to want something and the thing be right in front of your eyes all along.
  • 1
    I'm a bit rusty in C++ but yeah there is a really nice language hidden in it. The problem with a lot of older languages is that you need to know what parts to avoid and how to use the constructs to it's full potential.

    The problem is illustrated by Bjarne himself:
    "I'm convinced that you could design a language about a tenth of the size of C++ (whichever way you measure size) providing roughly what C++ does."

    I see what Rust is to C++ roughly the same as what Kotlin is to Java.
    Have some safety to common pitfalls build in and break away some legacy stuff that should not be there.
  • 0
    Instead of switching between C++ for performance and Python for elegance in the same project, you could use Swift, which is as performant as C++ and as elegant as Python.

    Tensorflow for example, did switch to Swift for that exact reason.
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