In this blog post, you will learn the difference between C and C++ programming languages. C and C++ are widely used oldest programming languages and are mainly used in embedded system applications.
This article will not only explain the difference between C and C++ but also cover some other topics. Let’s see some topics which you will learn in this article:
1. What are C and C++ languages ( C vs C++ )?
2. Difference between C and C++ programming languages?
2. Best resources to learn C languages?
3. Best resources to learn C++ languages?
4. Which language would be best to start with for a beginner?
What is C Programming Language?
C is a general-purpose, imperative computer programming language. It was originally developed by Dennis Ritchie between 1969 and 1973 at Bell Labs. C is standardized by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and subsequently by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
C was designed to be compiled to provide low-level access to memory and language constructs that map efficiently to machine instructions, all with minimal runtime support. It is the reason people called it machine-independent language.
Despite its low-level capabilities, the language was designed to encourage cross-platform programming. The language has become available on a very wide range of platforms, from embedded microcontrollers to supercomputers.
What is C++ Programming Language?
C++ is a general-purpose programming language created by Bjarne Stroustrup as an extension of the C programming language, or “C with Classes”.
It has expanded significantly over time, and modern C++ now has object-oriented, generic, and functional features in addition to facilities for low-level memory manipulation.
C++ introduces object-oriented programming (OOP) features to C. It offers classes, which provide the four features commonly present in OOP (and some non-OOP) languages:
- Abstraction.
- Encapsulation.
- Inheritance.
- Polymorphism.
One distinguishing feature of C++ classes compared to classes in other programming languages is support for deterministic destructors, which in turn provide support for the RAII ( Resource Acquisition is Initialization) concept.
Differences Between C and C++ ( C vs C++ ):
The below comparison chart explain some important difference between C and C++.
C Language |
C++ Language |
| C is a structural or procedural programming language. | C++ is an object-oriented programming language. |
| C doesn’t have variable references. | C++ has variable references. |
| C doesn’t support function or operator overloading | C++ supports function as well as function overloading. |
| C does not support information hiding. | Data is hidden by Encapsulation to ensure that data structures and operators are used as intended. |
| “namespace” features are not present in C. | “namespace” is used by C++, which avoids name collisions. |
| Virtual and friend functions are not supported by C. | Virtual and friend functions are supported by C++. |
| In C, functions can not be defined inside structures. | In C++, we can define functions inside structures. |
| C doesn’t provide direct support for error handling | C++ supports exception handling that helps in error detection and smooth handling. |
| C uses malloc(), calloc() for memory allocation and free() for memory de-allocation . | In C++, generally, “new operator” is used for memory allocation, and deletes operator is used for memory deallocation. |
| C does not support inheritance. | C++ supports inheritance. |
| C does not support generic programming. | C++ supports generic programming with the help of templates. |
Recommended Articles for you:
- C Programming Courses And Tutorials.
- CPP Programming Courses And Tutorials.
- Python Courses and Tutorials.
- Polymorphism in C++ for example.
- MCQs on C++
- Compile Time Polymorphism with Templates in C++.
- Operator Overloading in C++ with some FAQ.
- Introduction of reference in C++.
- Use of mutable keywords in C++.
- Best electronic kits for programmers.
- References and const in C++ with example programs.
- C++ Interview Questions with Answers.
- List of some Best C++ Books, you must see.