C/C++

C :

 

C is a general-purpose, high-level language that was originally developed by Dennis M. Ritchie to develop the UNIX operating system at Bell Labs. C was originally first implemented on the DEC PDP-11 computer in 1972.

The UNIX operating system, the C compiler, and essentially all UNIX applications programs have been written in C. The C has now become a widely used professional language for various reasons :

  • Easy to learn.
  • Structured language.
  • It produces efficient programs.
  • It can be compiled on a variety of computer platforms.

Why to use C?

C was initially used for system development work, in particular the programs that make-up the operating system. C was adopted as a system development language because it produces code that runs nearly as fast as code written in assembly language. Some examples of the use of C might be:

  • Operating Systems
  • Language Compilers
  • Assemblers
  • Language Interpreters

 

C++ :

 

C++ is a statically typed, compiled, general-purpose, case-sensitive, free-form programming language that supports procedural, object-oriented, and generic programming.

C++ is regarded as a middle-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features.

C++ was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell Labs in Murray Hill, New Jersey, as an enhancement to the C language and originally named C with Classes but later it was renamed C++ in 1983.

Object-Oriented Programming

C++ fully supports object-oriented programming, including the four pillars of object-oriented development:

  • Encapsulation
  • Data hiding
  • Inheritance
  • Polymorphism

Use of C++

  • C++ is used by hundreds of thousands of programmers in essentially every application domain.
  • C++ is being highly used to write device drivers and other softwares that rely on direct manipulation of hardware under realtime constraints.
  • C++ is widely used for teaching and research because it is clean enough for successful teaching of basic concepts.
  • Anyone who has used either an Apple Macintosh or a PC running Windows has indirectly used C++ because the primary user interfaces of these systems are written in C++.