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++.