What programming language to learn

C# or Java

edit: I'm not actually studying computer science but my friend's just started it at uni and she found these two easiest to pick up when she was in Year 12 trying to decide if it was the right course for her. She tried C++ to begin with but she found C# much easier so did that instead

Thank you for your help.
Is it that these are most commonly taught languages in the first year of your CS degree that would make these more preferable to admission tutors?

Hey! That sounds really exciting!

I'm agreeing with Java, especially using the software Greenfoot to get to grips with how modular programming works. I would also go with a classic HTML, CSS and JavaScript approach. These languages are pretty easy to pick up with hard work and time on your side, and they allow for a great gateway into other languages.

Java

it's the only one i knowwell it'll come in useful when you're creating a project in year 13 :3 and it's a pretty cool language and more impressive than say Python and VB - my teacher hates VB

I've just started learning C# to prepare for computer science, most unis teach C# or Java, a lot of companies require Java or C#. Based on this, I'd say Java or C#.

If you do not mind me asking, what year are you in? And are you currently studying computer science at your school as well?

What exam board does your school do for computer science?
As my school does not teach computing as an A Level subject, I will have to do it by myself "externally", i.e. studying most of it by myself or by a personal tutor?
Would you recommend doing so?

I'm on a gap year, aged 20 and I'll be starting uni at aged 21. I didn't study Computer Science at school because they didn't offer it, I've been doing a Level 3 Extended Diploma in IT for the past 2 years and finished with DDM.

the programming language used mostly on robots will be C (at least diy ones) but C is difficult to learn as a beginner, so I will suggest python. You can can program an arduino microcontroller with python, or use a raspberry pi to build a robot (also programmed in python). Python can also be used for other stuff. Java/C#/C++ are more for the brains behind the robot, so you wont program the robot directly from any of the three languages, but you can use them to write user interfaces or even the AI for the robot.

Generally this is how robot projects go
Small projects:
Hardware -> Arduino (C)

Big projects:
Hardware -> Arduino (C) + Raspberry pi (Java/Python)

Really Big projects like industry level
Hardware -> Embedded computer/controller (C) + More Powerful Linux computers actually running C++ code which talks to the embedded controller.

but ultimately, C can be used to make most beginner projects. But since C is hard-ish, there are ways to use python instead of C.

EDIT: also since you want to get into AI, the I recommend python even more, it has lots of libraries to do AI
stuff,https://wiki.python.org/moin/PythonForArtificialIntelligence

Thank you very much bigboateng,

I am not really into coding, so can you explain me in simpler detail, what an Arduino microcontroller is?
And you suggest that I should learn Python as a beginner.
As you told me I could build a robot with a raspberry pi, using python, I got really excited as I wanted to do this kind of stuff for my UCAS and because I like it a lot. I've found this website. Is it good enough?http://www.instructables.com/id/Building-robots-with-Raspberry-Pi-and-Python/

Your post was really helpful. Thank you very much.

Arduino or any micro-controller for that matter is like a tiny computer in which you can connect to an electrical circuit to take readings or use it to power motors etc. So if you want to make a circuit where you push a button to blink a light, doing this without any microcontroller is doable but will require a lot of components and might be complicated where as by using a microcontroller, you just connect the button to the microcontroller and the led to the microcontroller (so it's like the middle man) then you make a program to check when the button is pressed, then run code on the microcontroller which will blink the led light by sending pulses of voltage in intervals.

If you want a project to work on, making a robot which moves in a path you give it. so for example say move in a circle of radius 100cm. That should be doable. You just need dc motors, dc motor encoder, arduino/raspberry and some cables.

Ok so an arduino is similar to a raspberry pi.
What would you rather prefer to buy? An arduino or a raspberry pi? Mainly for building robots and to learn coding(if I can do so...)

C# or Java