C++ is a general-purpose programming language that was developed as an extension
of the C programming language. It was created by Bjarne Stroustrup at Bell Labs in the
early 1980s. C++ is known for its efficiency, flexibility, and performance, making it a
popular choice for a wide range of applications, including system/software
development, game development, real-time simulation, and high-performance
computing.
Key Features of C++:
1. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP):
o C++ supports OOP principles such as classes, objects, inheritance,
polymorphism, encapsulation, and abstraction. This allows for modular
and reusable code.
2. Procedural and Functional Programming:
o C++ also supports procedural programming (like C) and functional
programming paradigms, giving developers flexibility in how they
structure their code.
3. Standard Template Library (STL):
o The STL provides a rich set of template classes and functions for common
data structures (e.g., vectors, lists, maps) and algorithms (e.g., sorting,
searching).
4. Performance:
o C++ is a compiled language, which means it is converted directly into
machine code, resulting in high performance and low-level memory
manipulation capabilities.
5. Portability:
C++ code can be compiled and run on various platforms with minimal
o
changes, making it a portable language.
6. Memory Management:
o C++ allows manual memory management through pointers, giving
developers fine-grained control over memory allocation and deallocation.
However, this also requires careful handling to avoid memory leaks and
segmentation faults.
7. Rich Standard Library:
oC++ comes with a comprehensive standard library that includes functions
for input/output, string manipulation, mathematical operations, and more.
8. Compatibility with C:
o C++ is largely compatible with C, meaning most C programs can be
compiled with a C++ compiler with little to no modification.