Virtual reality (VR) is gradually becoming a technology utilized in various media and experiences. Until recently, its primary use was in medical and scientific institutions, including labs and patient recovery centers, and in large-scale theme parks, where it served as an attraction. Now that virtual reality headsets have advanced, the sector is progressively expanding into regular households. As the need for VR development grows, new technologies and frameworks have emerged (and continue to do so!). As more and more businesses want to take advantage of virtual reality, skilled programmers have become an essential resource.
But which programming language is best suited for virtual reality development? Let’s have a look at the most popular virtual reality programming languages.
- C#
Thanks to Unity, C# has become one of the most popular languages for creating virtual reality applications. Since its inception as a gaming engine, Unity has been expanding into other areas of media development. It provides a unified environment for creating a wide variety of VR applications.
Aside from that, Unity provides several tutorials and examples on how to code a VR experience. If there’s anything else you want to know about Unity that isn’t included in the official documentation, you may easily find the answer in the vast Unity community.
C# does not exist in the VR realm just because of Unity. For instance, StereoKit is a C# library for developing VR apps, which can be integrated into your current project. When combined with the sophisticated APIs provided by.NET, it is considerably easier to construct VR experiences.
C# is a fantastic choice for a language with strong libraries and frameworks for VR development.
- C++
The programming community at large agrees that C++ is a very fast and effective language. It has been used for years to create visually stunning and technically complex 3D applications like video games.
The Unreal Engine is a C++ toolkit for developing interactive 3D games. It provides resources for making virtual reality content, much like Unity.
Knowing C++ is required if you want to create native experiences for certain VR headsets. Occulus Rift’s PC SDK, for example, is developed in C++.
- Java
There is a vibrant community of virtual reality (VR) developers working in Java because the Android platform uses Java as the language for its native applications. Android, along with other mobile platforms, is now one of the most popular targets for VR solutions, all thanks to the widespread adoption of Smartphones and their subsequent application in low-cost solutions for VR headsets.
Android’s native apps are built in Java, so it’s no surprise that Google Cardboard and ViroCore are also developed in Java.
Knowing how to write in Java is required if you want to create native VR experiences for Android.
- JavaScript
Languages associated with web development witnessed a rise in use alongside the rise of the internet as a content delivery platform.
Almost all websites and mobile applications on the internet use JavaScript. Virtual reality (VR) applications are now a subset of these online experiences, and various frameworks have emerged to aid developers working on the platform. And the majority of them are written in JavaScript.
Developers may create virtual reality (VR) applications with the help of Three.js, a JavaScript 3D Library. A-Frame, built on Three.js’s Entity Component System architecture, was created with VR solutions in mind a few years later.
Other VR libraries for JavaScript include Babylon.js, a web rendering engine with tools for creating VR applications, and ViroReact, a React Native library that allows developers to prototype and construct Virtual Reality experiences using this framework easily.
If you want to create VR web apps, JavaScript will help you make your vision a reality.
- Python
Python is not typically considered a language to learn when getting into VR. However, it is used by several frameworks and packages.
Vizard is the most prominent and illustrative example available. It’s a software framework written in Python for making Virtual Reality (VR) programs. NASA, among other research institutions and colleges, uses it.
In addition, various virtual reality (VR) applications use Python as a scripting language, including Autodesk’s VRED (a 3D solution for automobile prototyping that lets designers utilize and test their designs in VR).
Python VR has a smaller community than the others on this list, but it has its uses.
Conclusion
Whether a novice or an experienced developer, C# or C++ will be your best bet for creating VR apps, they are the most often utilized in a range of VR experiences and, as a result, have the greatest communities to whom you may turn for assistance in fixing specific difficulties you may encounter.
All the other languages discussed here are also viable options, albeit their potential user base will be smaller. Despite their shortcomings, one of the most significant benefits of using multi-platform frameworks such as Unity or Unreal Engine is that porting your software to several platforms is simple.
