Choosing Your Godot Programming Language: C#, C++, GDScript

Godot officially supports three programming languages: GDScript, C#, and C++. Each has its strengths, and you can even use multiple languages in the same project. This video helps you choose the right language for your needs.

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GDScript

GDScript is Godot's scripting language, built specifically for game development. It's also popular with app developers because it facilitates quick prototyping. It resembles Python but includes game-specific constructs and features such as reference-counted memory management and gradual typing. GDScript has virtually no compile time, can reload scripts at runtime, and integrates with Godot's built-in script editor, enabling fast iteration.

GDScript is generally considered easy to learn and remains the preferred language among the majority of Godot users. While it isn't as performant as lower-level languages for heavy operations, most of those operations are handled by the engine's core systems written in C++, so GDScript typically only acts as the glue that calls them.

C#

Choosing to use C# in Godot is a good choice when you want to leverage .NET libraries, or when you're already familiar with C# from other projects. It also makes sense to use C# selectively to handle performance-critical operations, since you can mix and match languages in a single Godot project. On the other hand, C# requires compilation after each change and has fewer Godot-specific learning resources compared to GDScript. While some developers coming from Unity initially set out to use C#, many end up switching to GDScript for its user-friendliness and close integration with the engine.

C++

C++ (via GDExtension) gives you maximum control and performance. Use it to create plugins, modify engine source code, or write performance-critical code. You can call C++ code from GDScript when needed. The trade-off is a more complex setup and development workflow, so C++ is typically chosen by experienced developers building custom engine features.

Community supported programming languages

There are more than 10 stable programming languages available for Godot through third-party plugins maintained by the community. They include Lua, Rust, Nim, Haxe, and more. You can check out the full list here. Give those a try if you're a fan of one of the languages and willing to follow community updates closely or even contribute to them.