Other Languages

Structured programming ideas underpin all modern imperative programming languages. Focus on the concepts, and once you master these ideas with one language you will be able to apply the same thinking to others.

So how similar are other languages?

If we consider a language like Python, you will find it has basically the same control flow mechanisms:

• Branches include the
  • if statement
  • match statement which is equivalent to C#‘s switch.
• Loops include:
  • while loop
  • for loop

Notice that not only are the same kind of structures present. Most of them even use the same keywords! Languages generally spell if in the same way. This just further emphasises that if you can think through a program at a pseudocode level, then the logic will generally translate between languages.

Tip

Focus on the concepts and how they apply in different situations.

Once you have seen the range of tools we have in modern programming you will be able to switch easily between languages. The main challenge will be learning the language’s programming libraries, and how to effectively use any language-specific features.