Hard Sci-Fi Vs. Soft Sci-Fi, Explained

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At the risk of stating the obvious, the genre of science fiction isn't just one thing. There are certain characteristics that make something a sci-fi story, but there is a lot of freedom within that umbrella to allow specific stories to vary wildly from each other. Sci-fi isn't a monolith, and there are many ways of engaging with the genre, even for those who don't think that sci-fi is their cup of tea. Though sci-fi has generally been defined by the media in a very specific way, there is a lot of sci-fi that might still appeal to those who don't actually have much interest in science or technology.

This is where the difference between «hard sci-fi» and «soft sci-fi» comes in. Though both technically fall under the umbrella of «science fiction», they have very different ways of going about it. Both are about science in their own ways, but the kinds of science they explore are different and might appeal to different audiences. Both subcategories of this genre are important in their own way, and they both define what it means to be a piece of science fiction. Here's a breakdown of the specific differences between the two, and where one might come across them in the media.

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Hard sci-fi is probably what most people think of when they hear the term «science fiction.» Hard sci-fi deals with stereotypical scientific fare such as math, computer science, chemistry, and biology. The language in this type of sci-fi tends to be more technical, and these elements can be the more confusing ones for newcomers to the genre. While both hard and soft sci-fi often deal with technology and futuristic elements, hard sci-fi leans more into realism and attempts to base the «science» part of its science