C and C++ programming language was originally developed for and implemented on the UNIX operating system by Dennis Ritchie. Since it is a fairly simple language, it has no particular hardware or system requirement. This allows a programmer to write programs that are compatible with practically all computers without requiring many (or any) changes.
The C language is often referred to as a middle-level computer language as it combines the elements of high-level languages with the functionalism of assembly language. Through C programming, bits, bytes, and addresses can be manipulated, giving the programmer a greater sense of control over the program’s behavior, and giving them a better understanding of the hardware underneath. C was created, influenced, and field-tested by working programmers. This enables C to deliver what programmers want. There are many improvements and features in C++ that make it an improved version of C that is inherently object-oriented. Overall, C++ is a better version of C that is independent of object-oriented programming.
A C++ language is extensible: We can define new types so that they behave like predefined types, which are part of standard C++. C++ has a lot of power, but if you just use it like C, you won’t use it to its full potential. C++ must be used in the way it was designed to take advantage of its full potential. New features include encapsulation, inline functions, overloading operators, inheritance, and polymorphism, among others.
What is C Programming?
C was developed by computer scientist Dennis Ritchie at Bell Laboratories in 1972 as a structural or procedural programming language. With C, you can develop operating systems like Windows and Apple OS X, as well as complex programs like Oracle Database, MySQL, Adobe, Python interpreter, Git, etc. Since C is a procedural language, it does not support objects or classes.
C has become popular because of its execution speed, simplicity, and flexibility. It became the base for many other programming languages. If a user knows C, then they can learn other programming languages easily. C is a case-sensitive language, which means capital letters and small letters are treated differently.
Features of the C programming language
- Procedural Language: C is a procedural programming language, which means it follows a top-down approach in organizing the program into functions or procedures.
- Low-Level Programming: C provides low-level access to memory, allowing for direct manipulation of memory addresses. This feature makes it suitable for system programming and development of operating systems.
- Efficient and Fast: C is known for its efficiency and speed. It allows for close control over system resources and is well-suited for writing programs where performance is critical.
- Portability: C programs can be easily ported (adapted) from one system to another. This portability is facilitated by the existence of compilers for different platforms.
- Modularity: C supports modular programming through the use of functions. Programs can be divided into smaller modules or functions, making code organization and maintenance easier.
- Extensive Standard Library: C comes with a rich set of standard libraries that provide functions for common operations such as input/output, string manipulation, memory allocation, etc.
What is C++?
C++ was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup at AT&T Bell Laboratories in the early 1980s. The C language lacked certain features and he decided to extend it with features from Simula 67, his very first OOP language.
Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is the paradigm behind C++ programming. Object-Oriented Programming is an umbrella term for Object-Based Programming. Basically, it combines all the characteristics of object-based programming with inheritance to overcome its limitations and solve real-life problems through programming. A major goal of object-oriented programming is to overcome the drawbacks of common programming techniques. OOPs is based on some concepts that make it possible to overcome the drawbacks or shortcomings of conventional programming methods.
Features of C++ Language
- Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): C++ supports the principles of object-oriented programming, including encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism. This allows for the creation of modular and reusable code.
- Classes and Objects: C++ allows the definition of classes, which are user-defined data types that encapsulate data and functions that operate on the data. Objects are instances of classes.
- Inheritance: Inheritance allows a class to inherit properties and behaviors from another class. This promotes code reuse and the creation of hierarchical class structures.
- Polymorphism: Polymorphism enables objects of different classes to be treated as objects of a common base class. This facilitates the writing of generic and flexible code.
- Encapsulation: Encapsulation is the bundling of data and functions that operate on the data within a single unit, i.e., a class. Access to the data is controlled through access specifiers like public, private, and protected.
- Abstraction: Abstraction allows the representation of essential features without including unnecessary details. This helps in creating more understandable and maintainable code.
- Templates: C++ supports template programming, allowing the creation of generic classes and functions. Templates enable the implementation of algorithms that work with different data types.
Differences between C and C++ Programming
- There is a subset of C++ in C, as opposed to C++ as a whole. There are no valid C++ programs, only valid C programs.
- Programming in C is structural or procedural, whereas programming in C++ is object-oriented.
- A fundamental building block in C is a function, whereas an essential building block in C++ is an object.
- A variable reference doesn’t exist in C, but it does exist in C++.
- The C language uses malloc and free for memory allocation, while the C++ language uses new and delete.
- While C does not provide direct error handling, C++ provides exception handling that helps detect errors and handle them smoothly.
- The C language does not support function and operator overloading, while the C++ language does.
- Generic programming is not supported in C, but it is possible to write generic programs in C++ using templates.
- C doesn’t support namespaces while C++ supports them.
Why Learn C and C++ Programming
C and C++ remain two of the most popular programming languages. Particularly, the syntax and concepts of C have proven enduring. Programming languages such as Go have incorporated them into other popular programming languages. Learn C even if you intend to focus on building fancy web front-end components or web applications. The C and C++ languages are everywhere. Especially C is responsible for a lot more technology than we give it credit for.
However, some of your favorite software, including your current browser, is built on C++. It is a good base to know C, but learning C++ and its paradigms will be necessary in many cases for software development. If you want to develop software that needs to make the most out of a computer’s performance and capabilities—for example, high-end desktop games, sophisticated productivity tools, or complex computationally intensive programs—or if you want a programming language that allows you to interact directly with the hardware of a computer, C and C++ are the best choices.
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Final Thoughts
We can understand that it depends on the programmer which language will be preferred to choose as per the project’s needs based on the features and differences between C and C++.
A low-level programming language such as C is better suited to low-level programming applications, while a C++ programming language is an extension of C programming language with the OOP concept, which makes it more feasible for complex applications as well as faster and more secure. C++ is in high demand, which shows the bright future for developers. Learn C++ to improve your skills.