C and C++ are two of the oldest programming languages currently in use. The latter is a direct derivative of the former, but it has a higher level of reliability and productivity. Of course, both programming languages have their own advantages and drawbacks.
To give you a quick overview of C vs C++, C++ is an improved version of the C programming language with the inclusion of object-oriented functionally. C was the catalyst for the development of not only C++, but also a slew of other common high-level programming languages such as java, PHP, and Python.
What is C?
C, nicknamed the “ father of modern programming,” first appeared in 1972 and was created by Dennis Ritchie while working at Bell laboratories. It was originally developed to allow utilities to run on the unix platform, but it has since evolved to become one of the most widely used programming languages in the world.
C is a system programming language since it is a procedural programming that operates at the lowest level of abstraction. It’s lightweight, compiled, and has manual memory management.
The output of the C programming language is its ability, and it can be used code for a wide range of platforms. As a consequence, the programming language can be used to code virtually everything.
Though we now have specialised and varied programming language to choose from, C was a brilliant innovation in its infancy and early years. During its formative years, its versatility was unmatched.
What is C++?
C++, developed by bjarne stroustrup, first appeared in 1985 and praised as the best prodigy of the C programming language. In 1979, while working at ell labs, bjarne began working on the programming language. He decided to create a C extension that is more powerful and versatile than the programming language.
Object-oriented programming supported by C++. Our outstanding C++ Programming help programs assist students in achieving their academic goals.. it has a low abstraction level and necessitates manual memory management. The programming language lightweight, compiled, and comparable to C. It has the ability to create applications for a variety of platforms.
C++ is a programming language that provides virtually all that C does. But in a more powerful manner. C++ has influenced and continues to influence a variety of high-level programming languages, including C# and java, much like its initial source, the C programming language.
What are the features of C and C++?
Features of C
- Bottom-up approach.
- Procedural
- Does not support classes and objects.
- System programming language
- Supports pointers
Features of C++.
- Bottom-up approach
- Speed is faster
- Object-oriented
- Supports pointers & references.
- Compiled
- The basic template library provides extensive library support.
What is the key difference between C and C++?
Let’s take a closer look at some of the main differences between these two languages:
- Programming paradigm
C is a middle-level programming language that bridges the gap between machine-level and high-level languages. It primarily intended for the development of operating system kernels. As a result, it created as a procedural language, which means it uses a top-down compilation method.in C, a standard programme begins with the main () function and proceeds down the list of functions. Group and objects are not allowed in C, which is a procedural language. Furthermore, polymorphism, encapsulation, and inheritance not supported.
Let’s try to figure out what these words mean. Polymorphism refers to an object’s tendency to take on various types. The linking of data and function referred to as encapsulation. This prevents any other feature from having direct access to the data. As a result, it strives to make data more reliable. Inheritance refers to a child object’s ability to naturally inherit all of its parent’s assets.
C++, on the other hand, is a higher-level programming language. Both procedural and object-oriented programming (OOP) paradigms supported. C++ dubbed “C with classes” by others. Both classes and artefacts supported. Polymorphism, encapsulation, and inheritance are all provided by C++, which is an advanced and OOP language. Data and functions can be encapsulated in the form of an entity in C++. because of the encapsulation, data is more stable in C++.
- Data abstraction
The data abstraction level in the language is low. Data abstraction masks all implementation specifics by showing only important information and hiding context details. In comparison to C, C++ offers a high degree of data abstraction.
- Name spaces
The namespace is a C++ function that is not present in C. Namespaces are a declarative region that gives identifiers within it a scope, such as type names, variables, functions, and so on. Hence, It aids in logical code organisation and avoids name collisions.
Comparison table: C VS C++
Let’s look at the most significant variations between C and C++:
| Basic of comparison between C vs C++ | C | C++ |
| Level of language | Middle-level language | High-level language |
| Points of emphasis | Therefore, The focus is on the problem’s function/method rather than the data. | Instead of emphasizing on procedure or operation, the focus is on data. |
| Encapsulation | It does not support encapsulation | It supports encapsulation |
| Data abstraction | It provides a low level of data abstraction. | It provide a high level of data abstraction |
| Memory allocation and deallocation | In C, dynamic memory allocation is handled by functions like malloc () and calloc(), while deallocation is handled by free (). | C++ uses operators like new and delete for dynamic memory allocation and deallocation respectively. |
| input/output standard functions | In C, input and output are handled by scanf () printf(). | In C++, input and output are handled by Cin and Cout. |
| Overloading | Overloading of functions or operators is not possible in C. | Both feature and operator overloading are supported in C++. |
| Exception handling | Exception handling is not expressly supported in C | Exception management is built-in to C++. try and capture blocks can be used to do this. |
| Namespaces | In C, there is no such thing as a namespace. | C++ has a function called the namespace. It avoids name conflicts. |
Conclusion Finally, let us address the most important question: why should anyone learn C or C++ especially an aspiring programmer? These languages seldom used in modern software, but they are the basis for many common programming languages and libraries, including python, java, javascript, numpy, and others. C or C++ used to write web browsers like google chrome, mozilla firefox, and operating system kernels, as well as modern databases like mangoDB. Therefore, Mostly notably, C/C++ makes it easy for a novice programmer to comprehend complex computer science theories.
