Can anyone use c++ in bioinformatics?

Question

I want to get involved into bioinformatics and I would like to ask if someone can start coding in c++ or an other computer language is needed.

Answer 1

C++ is general and powerful enough to do the job. To start, search for c++ libraries on the topic. A good place to start would be the "awesome" list on github.

Answer 2

If you want to move freely in the world of software development, beyond bioinformatics, it would be very prudent for you to take this opportunity to learn C++ and data structures; with all the social support that your school and peers can provide.

Among programming languages, C++ is considered a beast. Those who tame it have traditionally been given deference in social circles that involve computer programming.

Knowing C++, for example, will give you more street credibility among most software developers than a Master's degree in computer science; or perhaps even a Ph.D.; because the community of software developers generally does not value academic credentials as highly as the bioinformatics community does, for example.

C++ is also a gateway language. Among people who know computer programming, a semi-competent C++ programmer will automatically be considered "smart enough" for jobs that overtly require C, C#, Java, or a variety of other programming languages. The only hesitation would be that a C++ programmer would require a little time to spin up with the new programming language(s) and tools.

Let me point out that your desktop computer, the phone in your pocket, the network router in the corner, and the point-of-sale system at your grocer rely on vast amounts of software. Overall, very little of that software was written in Perl, Python, or R.

People who do not know Python or R are denigrated inside the bioinformatics community. Similarly, outside of the bioinformatics community, you currently run the risk of being considered Not a Real Programmer(TM).

Most people in the software development world have never heard of R. Perl and Python were traditionally discounted as mere scripting languages. The popularity and sophistication of Python is diminishing those old prejudices, but the prejudices are probably still out there.

Of course, none of these prejudices are morally correct or socially just. And knowing C++ and data structures will never guarantee you a job.