Introduction of C++
C++ is a general-purpose programming language that was developed as an extension of the C programming language. It was created by Bjarne Stroustrup and first released in 1983. C++ is designed to provide a combination of low-level features for systems programming and high-level features for application development. It supports both procedural programming and object-oriented programming paradigms, making it a versatile language.
Key features of C++ include:
1. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): C++ supports the principles of OOP, such as encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism. This allows developers to design and organize code in a modular and reusable manner.
2. Low-Level Manipulation: Like C, C++ provides low-level features such as pointers and manual memory management, giving developers fine-grained control over system resources.
3. Standard Template Library (STL):C++ includes a powerful library known as the Standard Template Library, which provides a collection of template classes and functions for common data structures (like vectors, lists, and queues) and algorithms (like sorting and searching).
4. Portability: C++ code can be written in a way that is relatively portable across different platforms, making it suitable for developing software that needs to run on various operating systems.
5. Performance: C++ is known for its efficiency and performance, making it a popular choice for systems programming, game development, and other performance-critical applications.
6. Multi-Paradigm: C++ supports multiple programming paradigms, including procedural programming, object-oriented programming, and generic programming.
7. Standardization: C++ is standardized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), with the latest standard being C++17.
Difference between C and C++:
Writing our first C++ Program:
using namespace std;
int main() {
// Output "Hello, World!" to the console
cout << "Hello, World!" << endl;
// Return 0 to indicate successful completion
return 0;
}
Explanation:
1. #include <iostream>: This includes the input/output stream library.
2. using namespace std;: This allows the use of elements from the std namespace.
3. int main() { ... }: The main function, the starting point of the program.
4. cout << "Hello, World!" << endl;: Output the string "Hello, World!" to the console.
5. return 0;: Return 0 to the operating system, indicating successful completion.
Note: To run this program, save it with a .cpp extension (e.g., hello.cpp) and compile and execute it using a C++ compiler.