C vs. C++ vs. C#
Three languages that share a letter and not much else. C is a 1970s low-level language for operating systems and devices. C++ extends C and is used where raw speed matters, such as games, trading and browsers. C# is Microsoft's language for .NET business apps and Unity games, and is much closer to Java than to C. Resumes and JDs often write "C/C++", which is fair, but "C/C#" usually means someone is guessing.
How to tell them apart on a resume
C / C++
Sits next to embedded systems, firmware, Linux kernel, game engines (Unreal), high-frequency trading, memory management, or tools like GDB and Valgrind.
C#
Sits next to .NET, ASP.NET, Azure, Visual Studio, SQL Server, or Unity — business web apps and enterprise systems, or games built in Unity.
The question that settles it
“When you say C, do you mean C or C++ for low-level systems work, or C# on .NET?”
Read the full definitions
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