C++

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

Because it combines both high-level and low-level language capabilities, C++ is classified as a middle-level language. Bjarne Stroustrup began developing C++ as an upgrade to the C language in 1979 at Bell Labs in Murray Hill, New Jersey, and it was initially known as C with Classes until being renamed C++ in 1983.

C++ is a superset of C, which means that almost any lawful C programme is also legal in C++.

Features of C++:

• Simple: It’s a simple language in the sense that programmes can be broken down into logical units and pieces, and it comes with a large library and a wide range of data types.
• Independent of the machine yet reliant on the platform: A C++ executable is not platform-agnostic (compiled Linux applications will not run on Windows), but it is machine agnostic.
• It is a mid-level language since it can be used to write both systems (drivers, kernels, networking, etc.) and large-scale user applications (Media Players, Photoshop, Game Engines etc.)
• C++ is a compiled language, which contributes to its performance.
• C++ is a free-form programming language that supports procedural, object-oriented, and generic programming. It is statically typed, compiled, and case-sensitive.
• Because it combines both high-level and low-level language capabilities, C++ is classified as a middle-level language.
• C++ is a superset of C, which means that almost any lawful C programme is also legal in C++.

File extensions .cc, .cpp, .cxx, .C, .c++, .h, .hh, .hpp, .hxx, .h++:

.c and .h were the initial extensions used in C++, just as they were in C. This generated practical issues, particularly with the .c extension, which made it difficult for build systems to distinguish between C++ and C files.

Case sensitive file systems are used in Unix, which is where C++ was created. As a result, some people used .C for C++ files. Other extensions include .c++, .cc, and .cxx.

“.C”and “.c++” have the drawback of not being usable on other file systems, hence their use has dwindled. C++ compilers for DOS and Windows tended to utilize the .cpp extension, and some of them made the option difficult, if not impossible, to make. Even outside of MS-Windows, portability made this the most popular option.

The equivalent has been used in the headers. “.H, .h++, .hh, .hxx, and .hpp” are all extensions. But, unlike the major files, .h is still a popular choice for C++, despite the fact that it doesn’t tell you whether or not the header may be used in C context. Standard headers no longer contain any extensions.

Applications of C++: 

C++ finds varied usage in applications such as:

• C++ is a fast and tightly typed programming language, making it an excellent choice for operating system development.
• Because C++ is more closely related to hardware, it is the programming language of choice for game developers.
• C++ is also used to create graphical user interfaces and desktop applications. The majority of Adobe’s programmes, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, are written in C++.
• For rendering purposes, most browsers are written in C++. Mozilla Firefox is written entirely in C++. C++ is used in certain Google apps, such as Chrome and Google File System.
• Most libraries utilize C++ as their primary programming language.
• All visual programmes, including web browsers, require quick rendering. C++ is the backend programming language for high-end graphics processing, computer vision, and digital image processing software.

Advantages:

• Multi-paradigm programming is used in C++. The term “paradigm” refers to a programming style. The logic, structure, and process of a programme are all part of the paradigm. C++ is multi-paradigm, which implies it adheres to three different paradigms: generic, imperative, and object-oriented.
• It’s a good low-level programming language that’s also quite efficient in general.
• C++ is a high-performance and memory-efficient programming language.
• It provides high-level abstraction in the issue domain’s language.
• C++ and C are backwards compatible.
• The reusability of code is a feature of C++.
• Polymorphism and inheritance are used in C++.

Disadvantages:

• In a huge high-level programme, it’s complicated.
• Typically used for platform-specific applications.
• The library set that locks is generally specified for a certain operating system or platform.
• When C++ is used to develop web apps, it might be challenging to debug.
• Garbage collection is not possible in C++.
• Dynamic Memory Allocation is not supported by C++.
• Because it has pointers, friend functions, and global variables, C++ is not safe.
• There is no built-in support for threads.

Conclusion:

C++, or “C with Classes,” is a general-purpose programming language established by Bjarne Stroustrup as an extension of the C computer language. The language has evolved greatly over time, and current C++ now includes object-oriented, generic, and functional features, as well as memory management capabilities. It is nearly commonly implemented as a compiled language, and several manufacturers, such as the Free Software Foundation, LLVM, Microsoft, Intel, Oracle, and IBM, supply C++ compilers, making it available on a wide range of systems.