With the onset of easier-to-learn languages like Python and JavaScript that let you get to visible results faster, one might wonder: is it worth learning a low-level language like C++? The answer is yes. Right now, C++ is the 4th most popular language in the world, according to the TIOBE index. It’s used in various areas where high-performance software is needed. For example, Adobe products, Unreal Engine, and browsers like Chrome and Firefox are built with C++.

C++ is still relevant since many applications still bottleneck on processing speed, and the problems with that are not going away. At this time, it is one of the best choices for fast software, with alternatives like Rust seriously lacking ecosystem support for a lot of use cases.

The language has been around for almost 40 years, which means that most of the software problems have already been solved by open-source libraries and frameworks. In contrast, to build a high-quality game in Rust, one would have to recreate a framework like Unreal Engine in it.

Besides, there are significant gains from learning a language with manual memory management. C++ gets you much closer to bare metal, which will help better understand how computers work. With that knowledge, you can be much more effective while using other languages like Java and C#.

What is more, you don't even lose that much on learning C++ first. Once you have learned it, it is relatively easy to switch to another language since a lot is shared across different object-oriented programming languages.

All in all, if developing high-performance applications such as browsers or game engines interests you, C++ will be the best choice for you.