A softwood comes from an evergreen tree. Examples include Douglas Fir and Western Red Cedar. While these woods have a lower Janka hardness rating, this doesn’t make them less durable. Softwood can be more easily scratched in some contexts, but they also have good resistance to water damage or insect attack.  A hardwood comes from a deciduous tree. This includes fruit trees like Cherry and exotic imports like Padauk or Sapele Mahogany.