1. Civil code mainly adjusts the field of private law, which mainly reflects the nature of private law, while criminal law belongs to public law, which mainly reflects the nature of public law;

2. The civil law follows the autonomy of the will, and the parties can establish a civil juristic act with it according to their own wishes, while the criminal law is mandatory by the state. However, both of them are important parts of our legal system, and the scope that cannot be adjusted by the civil code can be adjusted by the state coercive force.

The basic principles of civil law are as follows:

1. The principle of equality means that the parties have equal status in civil activities;

2. The principles of voluntariness, fairness, compensation for equal value, honesty and credit. Civil activities should follow the principles of voluntariness, fairness, compensation for equal value, honesty and credit;

3. The principle that civil rights and interests are protected by law. The legitimate civil rights and interests of citizens and legal persons are protected by law, and no organization or individual may infringe upon them.

to sum up, the criminal law and the civil code are different. The civil code regulates the civil legal relationship, while the criminal law has made relevant provisions on criminal responsibility. Criminal law and civil law are not two specific laws, but rather a classification method in law, which refers to two specific departmental laws.

Legal basis:

Article 5 of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China

When engaging in civil activities, civil subjects should follow the principle of voluntariness and establish, change and terminate civil legal relations according to their own wishes. Voluntary means that civil subjects fully express their true meaning in civil activities, and establish, change and terminate civil legal relations according to their own meaning.