It's been almost 9 years since I've stopped Java, and have been working with C++ then, as a professional developer.

1. Java is probably easier. The language itself is (was?) quite simple. As least, much simpler compared to C++.

2. It depends a lot on your geographic situation and whether you are open to world-wide full remote positions. However, I believe Java is more widely used in the software industry. I also believe it's especially true in cloud development.

If you consider working in team, my experience tells, that, in general, C++ programmers are least comfortable to communicate with.

I think Java is more in line with your cloud dev goals. That beeing said have you considered go because of your cloud Focus?

Im also curious why are you considering c++? I see Java and c++ beeing used in different fields or for different use cases.

Btw... I'm a Java Dev. So Take everything with a grain of Salt.

Not self-taught anyway. But I first started with C++, the fundamentals of programming. Learned OOP with java and bit of C#. Learned Web Development with JavaScript. But I mostly work with Python. Since you know python and js they are enough for cloud development. To learn quick it's better to start with java. If you dig deeper the base of every language is the same.

All comes down to use cases, as many have said.

C++ programmers (tend to) write locally-oriented applications that are computationally intensive, or "close to the metal". Want to do gaming with graphics? C++ is a great foundation. Want to do hardware automation / robotics? Systems like Arduino use C++.

Java programmers want their code to run everywhere - and it's very much the language of the web server (though modern JS, and even Python to an extent, are gradually supplanting that).

Cloud Technologies like AWS are heavy in Python and JS-adjacent things (specifically Typescript). Java programmers don't seem to have a huge benefit/advantage in cloud from my experience.

Java will be an easier learn primarily because it's a memory-managed language. You declare your variable, you forget about it... the runtime will clean up after you. In C++, you manage memory yourself, and you have the ability to do some altogether unholy things with that memory 😳. Incredibly powerful, but also incredibly dangerous.

TL;DR C++ = No, but depends Java = Yeah, but... I'd recommend looking at Golang

Pierre, and taijidude make good points about Java.

C++
Honestly though, C++ -- I wouldn't bother with unless you were looking to get into game engine development, or graphics optimization for games, or working at companies that make hardware like hospital equipment, etc, or wanted to work building software like Maya.

Java
Java has tons and tons of jobs available. But the buzz I've heard for years is that Java devs don't really like working with Java even though it pays well. Ostensibly, it's a "safe bet." And while Java can be used for systems programming, any work done with it now would probably be maintaining code written long ago (maybe even before Java 8 was released). I doubt any new development would be done with Java for systems. The impression is that Java is used in stuffy, dry environments. I work on a team that does Java (though I'm not a dev on that team), in a bank.

Go
Go does seem to be the language that would satisfy your interest in cloud, backend, and system work. Frontendmasters.com use Go for its backend development, on a AWS. (I learned this while watching their Go with AWS course.) On top of that Go is well-regarded by its practitioners as easy to use, and easy to be productive with, and easy to learn. It's a joy to use for practitioners, seems likely to be used for new initiatives, or augmentations. Go was built with the then early trend toward cloud computing, distributed systems and applications which aligns well with your interest. It seems like a brighter, more enjoyable day-to-day, and path than Java. And you seem like an enthusiastic person, I'd hate for Java houses, and projects drain that zeal out of you.

I can’t say I’ve ever seen a much point to Java especially on server/cloud, why do you need cross platform on server side when there is only going to be 1 platform, and you know which one it is at development time? C/c++ rust are going to run much faster, and there’s no reason you can’t use in in the cloud, as for cross platform if you really need that on server for some reason, you’ve got web assembly, which I’d still going to run a hell of a lot faster then Java.
Also if you a Python, node developer you can write c code and import it into those languages, the vast majority of libraries in Python are written in c anyway.
Bit of your just learning low level languages, if day have a close look at rust, which is just as capable without all the memory safety issues.

If you need a language that is flexible, simple and versatile, then C++ is undoubtedly the best option, unless a company or organization specifically asks you to learn Java... I have come to the conclusion that if you start with C++, you will have no problem with any other language, both in learning and in programming and implementation. But if you start with Java, you have to use Java, learn Java and use it.

In my opinion, learning Java is a lot easier than C++.
C++ has a lot more low concepts like pointers, references, operator overloading etc. which are absent in Java.

What did you before? You said you have experience in JS and Python? Can you tell us a little?

Go for C++ only if you plan to do some advanced game dev or something or if you plan to start doing D.SA. Else choose JAVA. Good market

Java please, it is still a language in trend.

 Hi, I have experience with both Java and C++. Since they are both object-oriented (OO) languages, you can leverage similar design patterns when building applications. However, I transitioned away from Java about 10 years ago to focus on technologies like .NET, Node.js, and TypeScript for web-based development. Nowadays, especially with AWS serverless architectures, I frequently use TypeScript.

That said, C++ remains a fantastic language, particularly for its performance potential when used effectively. I often use C++ for tasks such as computer vision coding, video analytics, and building high-performance microservices within AWS VPCs using gRPC protocols.

Ultimately, the right choice depends on what you aim to build and your career aspirations. Java-based web applications are great for working with backend systems and CRUD-based APIs, offering a strong entry point into the industry.

However if i can make a recommendation full Stack Node/typescript with AWS certification will place you very nicely in the market place for jobs as well

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If you want to keep doing web development, I would suggest TypeScript, if you don't use it already. It's a good tool for web backend and especially full stack development due to the ability to code in a single language and share code. TypeScript is pretty complex to master, but it's a valuable enhancement if you need to use JS.

If you're looking to write pure backend logic where you don't need to worry about frontend, I think Java, C#, Rust and Go all work there. I've found C# pretty easy to work with personally, but I'm not experienced with Java. Kotlin is also a possibility as a kind of upgraded Java that compiles to the same bytecode and can use Java libraries (if you get heavily into the Java ecosystem, I expect you'd learn both). But TS and Python are both viable here too. Learning any of the languages mentioned above would give you a knowledge of a conventional statically typed language, with Java and C# being the most conventionally of all.

For systems programming I guess Rust is preferred over C++, but that's a long way away from web dev and I'm not sure that really what you want to do.

In summary, Java or C# would give you a good base in a statically typed language, and would be nice to know to round out your programming knowledge. TypeScript is great to enhance your JS but is hard to master. Either way you may end up using something else at work because there are a lot of options.

I've been going through the same thing and done a lot of research on what I need to be learning at the current stage I'm in and I can tell you that for where you're coming from to where you want to be you should lean toward learning Java.

Java is going to suit your cloud based development needs more, you don't have to worry about memory management, it's less strick, and Amazon offers a Junior Developer Course on Coursera that focuses on Java development as well as GIT.

Both C++ and Java have sizable standard libraries and offer a broad range of features, but C++ tends to be more approachable, in my opinion, because it allows for imperative programming (you can basically write it like C), so you can avoid diving into its object-oriented features if you prefer. Java, on the other hand, is more opinionated in terms of how you should structure your software, while C++ offers more flexibility with fewer constraints which also means fewer guard rails (it doesn't hold your hand at all).

The choice between the two should depend on the domain you're interested in. Java is a great fit for large-scale, enterprise-level applications; web apps, mobile apps, games, whereas C++ is commonly used for developing performance-critical software with a lower level of abstraction, such as games, operating systems, and databases.

With C++, one of the main challenges is navigating its extensive and often confusing tooling ecosystem, especially for beginners. Additionally, its template system can feel like a language within a language. Java, in contrast, is known for its verbosity, and its object-oriented design can sometimes lead to unmaintainable code if not carefully managed.

Every language has its strengths and weaknesses, and there's no one-size-fits-all answer. My advice is to explore open-source projects on GitHub that interest you, check out what languages they use, and make your choice based on that while also contributing to those projects to gain experience.

The truth is, any language you choose—no matter how obscure—will ultimately benefit you as a developer, even if you don't use it for anything major. Exploring different languages gives you valuable insights into various design philosophies and broadens your perspective which makes it a worthwhile endeavor.

Learn Java if you're aiming for software development, backend services, or mobile apps.

Learn C++ if you're passionate about game development, system programming, or building performance-critical software.

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