the use of plain/casual style

i'm learning japanese i was wondering if anyone could elaborate on the use of plain style/casual style as opposed to polite style japanese. i know it's more informal but i only know a couple of examples where it's used, if there is anyone who can speak japanese could please tell me more? thankyou.

p.s sorry if this thread is in the wrong place i couldn't find one about languages apart from the nihongo one.

oh i've just this second found the japanese language forum. sorry lol

It's just used when you are talking to someone that you don't have to be polite with, such as friends or perhaps family, or someone who is lower on the social ladder, like a subordinate at work or an underclassman at school. If you're just learning the language, just stick to the polite forms for now and you'll do fine.

And don't worry, the thread will be moved to the appropriate place.

My golden rule is, learn the polite formal styles first, and then as you meet people who you become familiar with who are Japanese speakers you will learn the plain forms, or rather, when to use the plain forms... You should know the difference between the two, but err on the side of caution when speaking to those whom you aren't explicitly close to.