Top Alternatives to C++

Java is a widely-used, object-oriented, general-purpose programming language designed to have as few implementation dependencies as possible. Its core principle, "write once, run anywhere" (WORA), allows compiled Java code to run on any platform that supports Java without the need for recompilation.

C is a foundational, imperative programming language renowned for its efficiency and low-level access. It serves as a bedrock for systems programming, operating systems, and performance-critical applications, providing direct control over hardware through features like manual memory management.

Ruby is a dynamic, open-source programming language known for its elegant syntax and focus on developer productivity. It's widely used for web development, scripting, and rapid prototyping.

Lua is a powerful, fast, and lightweight scripting language designed for embedding in applications. It's known for its simplicity, portability, and efficiency, making it ideal for a wide range of uses from embedded systems to game development and configuration.

Perl is a highly-capable, feature-rich programming language with over 30 years of development. Widely used for text processing, web development, and systems administration, it is known for its power and flexibility.

Go (Golang) is an open-source, statically typed, compiled programming language designed at Google. Known for its concurrency primitives, garbage collection, and focus on simplicity, Go is well-suited for building scalable, high-performance applications, particularly in networking, cloud services, and microservices.

Scala is a powerful, general-purpose programming language designed to combine the best features of object-oriented and functional programming paradigms.

Haskell is a powerful, statically typed, purely functional programming language. It emphasizes immutability and mathematical purity, leading to robust and maintainable code. Ideal for applications demanding correctness and concurrency.

Rust is a multi-paradigm, general-purpose programming language designed for performance and safety, especially safe concurrency. It's ideal for systems programming and performance-critical applications.

D is a general-purpose systems and application programming language that aims to combine the power and high performance of C++ with the productivity and safety of modern languages like Python or Ruby.

Julia is a high-level, dynamic programming language designed for technical computing with performance comparable to traditional compiled languages. It excels in numerical analysis, data science, and scientific computing, offering a flexible environment for both rapid prototyping and high-performance code.

Haxe is a versatile open-source programming language and compiler that lets developers write code once and deploy it across numerous platforms, including web (JavaScript, Node.js), mobile (iOS, Android), desktop (Windows, macOS, Linux), servers, and even game consoles.

Objective-C was a robust, general-purpose, object-oriented programming language primarily used for Apple's macOS and iOS operating systems. It combined C's power with Smalltalk's dynamic messaging capabilities.

Erlang is a powerful functional programming language designed for building highly available, scalable, and fault-tolerant soft real-time systems. It excels in concurrent and distributed environments, making it ideal for applications requiring continuous uptime and handling vast amounts of concurrent requests.

Swift is a powerful and intuitive compiled programming language from Apple, building on the best of C and Objective-C without the constraints of C compatibility. It's designed for safety, performance, and modern software design patterns, enabling developers to create apps for iOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS, and beyond.

Clojure is a dynamic, functional dialect of the Lisp programming language on the Java virtual machine (JVM). It emphasizes immutability and persistent data structures for robust concurrent programming.

FreeBASIC is a free and open-source multiplatform BASIC compiler. It supports a wide range of operating systems including Windows, Linux, and macOS (via third-party ports), facilitating cross-platform development. It's designed to be highly compatible with QuickBASIC while offering numerous modern features like object-oriented programming, manual memory management, and support for graphics and sound libraries, making it suitable for various programming tasks from system utilities to game development.

Jython is a Python implementation designed to run on the Java Virtual Machine (JVM). It allows Python developers to leverage Java libraries and frameworks, and Java developers to integrate Python scripting into their applications, bridging the gap between the two ecosystems.

REBOL is a lightweight, cross-platform language designed for data exchange, networking, and distributed computing. It's known for its expressive syntax and focus on dialects for various tasks, making it suitable for scripting and building domain-specific applications.

F# is an open-source, cross-platform, functional-first programming language designed for conciseness and correctness. It integrates seamlessly with the .NET ecosystem, making it ideal for data science, web development, and more.

Squirrel is a high-level, imperative and object-oriented programming language designed for embedding in applications.