What is C++?

What is C++
Computer Language Technology

What is C++?

Definition of C++

C++ is an object-oriented language that was created at Bell Labs in 1980. The developer of this language was Bjarne Stroustrup. C++ helps the programmers by giving them control to use the resources of the computer and the memory, the way they want to. It is an advanced version of the C framework where it enables the user to create user-defined classes and the concept of different objects. It Is also compatible with C and hence compiles most of the code which is in C without having to do any changes in the source code.

Working with C++

Working with C++ is easy and the linking and compilation of this language is simple and has a comprehensive understanding of this entire process. This process follows the hierarchy of preprocessing, compilation, and linking. C++ does the process of processing the source code. The header files are not a part of the compilation process and hence they will not be sent for compilation. These files can be opened multiple times but the source files will be opened once. The pre-processor includes the contents of the file which are replaced when #include is used. The compiler then takes the file provided by the pre-processor file and creates an object from this file. The source file will be compiled and a new file will be created again with headers. More the headers more will be the translation unit. The linker will take these files and create executable files.

Example:

Let us check this example:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
vint main()
{  
    int x = 5, y = 20, tmp;
    cout << "Numbers before swapping:" << endl;
    cout << "x = " << x << ", y = " << y << endl;
    tmp=x;
    x=y;
    y=tmp;
    cout << "\nNumbers after swapping." << endl;
    cout << "x = " << x << ", y = " << y << endl;
    return 0;

The above program is a C++ program which is swapping two numbers. These numbers are stored in variables x and y. We have taken a temporary variable here which stores the variable for the time being before swapping the number. The number 5 is stored in the tmp variable and then the value of y which is 20 is stored in variable x and then the value in tmp is moved to variable y. Here the header file is removed then the compiler compiles the program for any errors. If there are any errors then those will be displayed. Once they are corrected then this program is run and we get the below output.

Uses and other Programming Languages

C++ can be used for creating different applications. These include games, GUI-based applications, MySql servers, browsers, banking applications, and different cloud distributed systems. It can be also used as a compiler and developing different operating systems. You can also create scanning applications as it performs well with C++. The other programming languages include JavaScript, Scala, Python, Ruby, C#, etc. JavaScript is used for front-end development and is run on a browser. It has flexible syntax and works across all browsers. Scala is an object-oriented structure and is fast in the JVM environment. Another language is Python which is considered a user-friendly programming language and is considered a language similar to English. It is used in web development and has various different packages like Numpy, Scipy which making it easier and user-friendly. OpenCV is also used to build programs in machine learning and data science. Ruby is a scripting language most commonly used for web development.

C++ is the best programming language 

C++ can be considered as one of the best programming languages due to its simplistic approach. It is also considered a competitive coding language because it processes fast. Implementing data structures in C is quick and easy. It also provides pointers that help in managing the memory and resources in a better way. The syntax of C++ is simple to understand and remember. There is no need for auto-complete in the case of C++.

Why do we need to learn C++?

C++ is a language that gives us a lot of control over the computer and its resources. Hence if we learn this language we can easily use the resources which will help us in surpassing other languages. It is a beginner-friendly language where we can understand the functioning of memory and how to manage it. It is scalable and hence the resources can be scaled high and low as and when needed. It is fast and provides control over all the resources. Also, C++ is widely used and we can get a lot of community support as people are usually using it.

Five Basic Concepts of C++

C++ is an object-oriented programming language and hence has the concepts of class, objects, encapsulation polymorphism, inheritance, and abstraction implemented in it. To have a brief introduction to it we can have an overview of these points.

  • Class: This is a user-defined data type which will have data members and functions. 
  • Objects: They are the instances of classes which help in using the class properties.
  • Encapsulation: This wraps the data and its information together into a single bundle.
  • Polymorphism: This is a form where an object can take multiple forms and its behavior may differ accordingly.
  • Inheritance: It is the property where a class can inherit properties of a new class. The new derived class can have its properties along with parent class properties.

Uses of C++

C++ can be used to create many applications like games, scanners, operating systems, etc 

  • Operating systems like Linux, MAC are all programmed in C++. 
  • It can also be used in creating browsers and provides the needed speed.
  • The libraries provided by C++ are used even in varied Machine learning libraries.
  • Various graphics applications can also be created using C++
  • Banking applications also use C++ as its backend language

Scope of C++

After all these years of programming being introduced to the world, C and C++ are still overpowering the market with the different features they provide. It can help you in getting jobs like Junior or senior programmer, as a software developer or a quality analyst. The scope of C++ still can get you many jobs in the market and help you gain the desired salary.

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