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Ask HN: Am I right there's no place for C++ developers in the startup world?
14 points by throwaawwaayy on Nov 8, 2016 | hide | past | favorite | 29 comments
I just browsed 100+ startup jobs on AngelList, found 0 C++ positions. I filtered out hundreds of jobs for Ruby, iOS, PHP, Python, and about a million for Javascript.

I live in London, maybe this is just a UK thing? or is C++ dead in the startup world.



Startups aren't about code, they're mostly not even about actual products, it's just a lot of idiots running around trying to get funding using the latest new buzzwords and shiny new tech that looks good on their resume.

If you have a strong engineering background especially in C++, you'll be just fine.


We use C++ heavily at Accompany. The CTO co-founder was one of the chief engineers at Google Analytics where most of the highly scaled systems were written in C++. Perhaps you could try investigating startups where the founders have a Google engineering pedigree?


Startups are about flexibility and time to market. Not two of C++'s best qualities. Obviously, a generalization and an opinion, but I would argue it fits the facts.


Keep in mind that many companies will hire you even if you don't know the language they code in, on the assumption you'll easily learn new languages.

I've mostly done Python in past, and C++ long ago, but at current job I've also been writing Java, Javascript, Ruby and Kotlin.


C++ is one of the most powerful and ubiquitous languages in software engineering but keep in mind that you wont find much C++ in webdev because Python,Ruby,PHP, etc are at a higher level of abstraction and their interpreter was likely written in C.


C++ is dead there (and in many other places). The closest thing is Golang and Swift (and perhaps Rust). That doesn't mean there are no C++ jobs, but you'd need to look for them elsewhere. Why is that surprising?


I don't see why C++ should be dead in startup world. With the emerging of AI, machine learning and fintech, you would think there's plenty of opportunity for using C++. I know there are plenty of C++ jobs in google/facebook, banks(i work there), but still, 0 startup on AngelList is surprising, I was thinking it's at least as (un)popular as java and C#.

I even found a Haskell shop there.


C++ might be used. By calling it from Python or Java or Haskell, which will allow you to iterate 10 times faster than using it directly. Startups are trying to prove that their business idea works. This idea usually involves using existing technology to solve some business problems, rarely it requires development of lower layers of the stack. This may come later - or may come never. You can easily use machine learning without knowing what C++ is.


I don't know anything about AngelList, but I signed on with a machine-learning startup yesterday where I'll be using C++.


most operating systems, deep learning frameworks, computer graphics systems are in c++.

the hottest 3 areas in tech, vr, deep learning/ai and self-driving cars, need c++ intensively.

c++ programmers are at the tip of the programmer pyramid.


Deep learning, IA and self driving cars is just a nerd's wet dream. There are very few people and very few position working for that in the real world. (Not to mention that they're exclusively at big companies in a few select locations in the world).


I agree, but most of the things you mentioned are done by big companies like google, most startups labeled with deep learning/ai are using python or javascript.


that's why I said it's the tip of the pyramid.


nowadays C/C++ is mostly something for:

* low-level infrastructure like databases

* desktop applications

* some embedded work

The vast majority of startups isn't doing anything like that, then you have to subtract those that do it using other technologies and there is not much left. And in many cases it's going to be part of a role, not a pure C++ position.

Once they grow more and more companies go into low-level things, but for your typical young start-up it's a waste of resources if it isn't part of the core product.


Keep in mind that the C++ standard has been rapidly evolving over the last couple years. If you look at QT for example, it shows a snapshot of where the future of the language is headed and its becoming more and more powerful each day. Don't think C++ is on the way out for a second.


Aren't most games made with C/C++ as well?


Yes, C++ is the language of video games. Often they use a different language for game scripting (game logic and a lot of AI), but it's mostly C++ as far as the core parts go; engine systems, renderer, etc. While most tend to use third party libraries for sound and physics, they too are mostly written in C++.


I've seen some demand for C++ in job advertisements in Germany and the Netherlands for startups. These startups tend to be doing things with devices of various kinds and need developers to write software for them. I've seen a few that are also using C++ for high-performance, real-time sort of software that isn't device-related.

So I'd say that while it's less common to see startups doing anything with C++, they certainly do exist.


People use whatever lets thdm quickly put together applications. Most that know C++ probably dont hear much on C++ frameworks for web. Knowing about those could help. Here's one Ive seen a few times in comments although not tried:

http://cppcms.com/wikipp/en/page/main


https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12846216

Fair amount of C++ here.


I don't agree with that statement.

At SolidFire our core product is written in C++. We were bought by NetApp and are no longer a startup, though.

It's not a trendy language, but there are startups using it.


We use C++ heavily in the startups I am CTO for. Recommended.


Yep, I am the CTO for 3 very successful startups. This has been my experience as well.


Can I ask what's the name of your company/product?


Uh, he's trolling...


If you like systems programming, you should look for startups using Rust or Go. I think they are more popular in the startup scene right now.


Is C++ the only language you code in?


No, but I want to code in C++


Most experienced C++ programmers just put up with it, they really want to be using something else, but have lacked, and continue to lack options.

If you are experienced, however, it's not difficult to find work. Video games. Space, aerospace, automotive, and military industry. IoT. Wherever you can imagine heavily constrained embedded systems. Or in the case of games, where you have 16.67 milliseconds to render a frame.




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