Re-Starting Coding - Need a platform recommendation

Question

I am a semi-retired real-time developer (1979 - 2012) conversant with old languages such as C/C++. I am re-entering the market to develop an application dealing with the display of simple graphic objects (coloured circles and other shapes) and measuring time-to-click (to an accuracy of 1/100 seconds). I will start with a PC platform as I am familiar with it and eventually move it to a tablet/phone.

Can someone recommend a cheap/free development platform/language which would facilitate my re-entry into the development world and eventually allow me to develop phone/tablet applications. Thanks, KevanK

Answer 1

If you want accurate timing, I would normally say go with a compiled language, rather than interpreted. That said 100ms is a looooong time, so you can go interpreted if you want to.

Stick with C/C++ for the PC and you can also use them for the tablet/phone.

BUT, since you don't say which tablet/phone system, be aware that you IoS uses Swift, which is a dialect of C.

If you want something truly native, and cross-platform, for both Android and IoS, I recommend React Native. It is JavaScript based, but JS is very C/C++ like (although variables are not typed).

Or, you could use Embarcadero's C++ builder, which will let you develop once and cross-compile & run on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. The catch is that although there is a free version, which you can use forever, once you earn more than $k from using it, you have to buy it, and costs $1k. I still love it, though, and have been using it for 15+ years.