Difference Between C and C++ You Should Know
Oct 26, 2023 2 Min Read 4701 Views
(Last Updated)
C and C++ have become very popular programming languages among developers. The main difference between C and C++ is that C is revered as the “Mother” of programming languages whereas C++ was developed as an extension of C. The topic of the difference between C and C++ has been very common among developers.
To avoid confusion, in this blog, we’re going to read about the key difference between C and C++, and later you’ll understand its usage as per the project requirements. Choosing between these two programming languages becomes easy when you understand their features, functionalities, and areas of applications. Let’s dive deep into this journey and learn more about C and C++.
Table of contents
- C and C++ Programming Languagege
- What is C++?
- Difference between C and C++
- Conclusion
- FAQs
- What are the five differences between C and C++?
- What is faster C or C++?
- Is C++ syntax harder than C?
C and C++ Programming Languagege
What is C?
C was developed by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labs in the year 1970. It was primarily designed as a successor to the B programming language and was created for system programming. It has become immensely popular because of its portability and simplicity. C is a very basic and machine-independent programming language that can be used for developing the operating system.
Features of C Programming Language:
- Procedural programming language
- Portable
- Low-level access
- Case-sensitive
- Efficient
- Supports dynamic memory allocation
What is C++?
C++ was created by Bjarne Stroustrup in the late 1970s while he was working at Bell Labs. It is an original extension of the C programming language, where the name “C++” reflects this extension, with “++” symbolizing an increment in functionality. C++ programming language is object-oriented. It is more well-structured and safer as compared to the C language.
Features of C++ Programming Language:
- Templates
- Function overloading
- Namespaces
- Standard Template Library
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Difference between C and C++
Now, let’s understand the difference between C and C++ with some short statements to make you more clear.
C | C++ |
Procedural programming language | Procedural and object-oriented programming language |
<stdio.h> header file | <iostream.h> header file |
It does not support access modifier | It supports access modifier |
scanf() and printf() functions are used to take the input and output respectively | cin and cout functions are used to take the input and output respectively |
It does not support any reference variables. | It does not support any reference variables. |
C supports only pointers. | C++ supports pointers and references. |
Used by Telegram, Oracle, MySQL, etc. | Used by MS Office, Torque 3-D game engine, Google Chrome, etc. |
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Conclusion
After reading the blog, you would have definitely come to a point where you can understand that every programming language has its features, and functionality, and works according to the usage. Both C and C++ have their own features and can be applied in different areas of applications.
Ultimately, the choice between C and C++ depends on the specific needs and goals of your project, and it is important to carefully consider the trade-offs between the two languages before making a decision. Happy Reading!
FAQs
What are the five differences between C and C++?
The five differences between C and C++ are:
1. C does not support inheritance whereas C++ supports it.
2. C focuses on method rather than data whereas C++ focuses on data.
3. C supports built-in data types whereas C++ supports built-in and user-defined data types.
4. In C, the standard IO header is stdio.h whereas iostream.h in C++.
5. C does not support exception handling whereas C++ does.
What is faster C or C++?
Both C and C++ are compiled to machine code, therefore neither is “faster” than the other. C++, due to its higher-level abstractions, C++ gives the programmer much more ability to write inefficient code than in C. Generally, C is faster than C++.
Is C++ syntax harder than C?
C is much easier to learn than C++ because there is so much less of it. After you know C++, it’s often easier to write in it because it provides you with features that are not available in C.
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