History of C++ Language
Origins and Development:
- Developed by: Bjarne Stroustrup
- Year: 1983
- Place: Bell Labs, USA
- Purpose: To add object-oriented features to C
Background:
- Predecessor: C Language
- Influences: Simula67 (Object-Oriented concepts) and C
- C++ was influenced by Simula67 and C → This means C++ adopted ideas from these languages, such as Object-Oriented Programming (from Simula67) and syntax and efficiency (from C).
- Key Contributions:
- Introduced Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) concepts like classes and inheritance.
- Provided better abstraction, encapsulation, and reusability.
- Maintained C’s efficiency while adding high-level features.
Milestones in C++ Development:
| Year | Event | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Bjarne Stroustrup starts developing “C with Classes.” | Bjarne Stroustrup started developing “C with Classes” in 1979 at Bell Labs. It was an extension of the C language, introducing object-oriented programming (OOP) features like classes, encapsulation, and strong type checking. |
| 1983 | The language is renamed C++ (increment of C). | In 1983, “C with Classes” was officially renamed to C++. The name C++ was chosen as a reference to the increment operator (++) in C, symbolizing an improvement or enhancement over C. |
| 1985 | First official release of C++ and The C++ Programming Language book. | In 1985, C++ was officially released for the first time. Along with this, Bjarne Stroustrup wrote a book called “The C++ Programming Language.” This book helped programmers understand how to use C++ and explained its important features. |
| 1990 | C++ 2.0 introduces multiple inheritance, templates, and exception handling. | In 1990, C++ 2.0 was released with major new features: Multiple Inheritance – A class can inherit from more than one parent class. Templates – Allows writing flexible and reusable code (like generic functions and classes). Exception Handling – Introduced try, catch, and throw to manage errors in a structured way.These improvements made C++ more powerful and suitable for large-scale software development. |
| 1998 | C++98 is standardized (ISO C++). | In 1998, C++ was officially standardized as C++98 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This created a consistent and portable version of C++ that could run on different platforms. Before C++98, lack of standardization meant that programs written for one compiler might not work on another. C++98 was the first international standard for C++, ensuring uniformity across different compilers. |
| 2003 | C++03 is a minor update with bug fixes and improvements. | C++03 was primarily a bug-fix and library improvement release. It did not introduce major new features but rather refined C++98 by fixing inconsistencies and improving library components. |
| 2011 | C++11 introduces smart pointers, auto keyword, lambda expressions, and multi-threading. | C++11 was a major update that significantly modernized the language. It introduced several powerful features, such as smart pointers, the auto keyword, lambda expressions, and multi-threading support, which greatly improved code safety, efficiency, and readability. C++11 was a game-changer, making C++ more powerful, efficient, and developer-friendly! |
| 2014 | C++14 improves on C++11 with minor fixes. | C++14 was a minor update that improved upon C++11 by fixing issues, enhancing existing features, and making the language more convenient. |
| 2017 | C++17 introduces filesystem library, structured bindings, and improved performance. | C++17 wasn’t as revolutionary as C++11, but it enhanced performance, improved developer productivity, and expanded the standard library. |
| 2020 | C++20 adds concepts, ranges, coroutines, and modules. | C++20 was a major update that brought significant improvements in readability, modularity, and performance. It was a game-changer, making generic programming, concurrency, and code organization much more powerful and efficient! |
| 2023 | C++23 continues refining the language with enhanced libraries and features. | C++23 is an incremental but meaningful update that refines C++20 by enhancing libraries, improving usability, and adding convenience features. |
Why C++ Became Popular?
✔ Combines performance of C with modern programming features.
✔ Used in game development, operating systems, finance, and embedded systems.
✔ Supports both procedural programming (like C language) and object-oriented programming (such as classes, inheritance, etc.)
✔ Continues to evolve with modern programming needs.
The word “evolve” means to develop gradually, especially from a simple to a more complex form. When we say C++ continues to evolve, we mean that the language is constantly improving and adapting to meet the needs of modern programming, introducing new features and optimizations with each update.
For example, C++11, C++14, C++17, C++20, and C++23 have each introduced new features that keep C++ relevant for contemporary software development, including smart pointers, concurrency support, improved syntax, and modules. This evolution ensures that the language stays powerful and useful for a wide range of applications.
C vs. C++ Comparison
| Feature | C | C++ |
|---|---|---|
| Paradigm | Procedural | Multi-paradigm (Procedural + Object-Oriented) |
| Encapsulation | No | Yes (via classes) |
| Inheritance & Polymorphism | No | Yes |
| Exception Handling | No | Yes (try-catch blocks) |
| Standard Template Library (STL) | No | Yes |
| Speed | Faster | Slightly slower due to extra features |
| Usage | OS, embedded systems | Games, GUI applications, high-performance systems |
“paradigm” refers to the programming paradigm or the approach to programming supported by the language. C is primarily procedural, meaning it focuses on functions and the flow of control, whereas C++ supports multiple paradigms, combining procedural programming with object-oriented programming (OOP) features like classes, inheritance, and polymorphism.
C does not natively support encapsulation as C++ does with classes. In C, you can use structs to group data together, but there are no access modifiers like private or public to control data visibility. C++ provides classes, which allow you to bundle data and functions, and enforce access control.
Inheritance & Polymorphism: C is a procedural language, so it does not support object-oriented programming (OOP) features like inheritance and polymorphism. C++ fully supports these features via classes, enabling you to write reusable, modular code.
C does not have built-in exception handling (like try-catch blocks). Instead, errors are typically handled with return codes or signals, which are less structured. C++ introduces structured exception handling, allowing errors to be caught and managed in a more organized way.
C does not have the Standard Template Library (STL). C is a procedural language and does not include built-in libraries for data structures like vectors, lists, or maps. Developers must implement these data structures manually, which requires more effort. The Standard Template Library (STL) is a feature exclusive to C++. It provides a collection of template-based classes and functions for handling common data structures (like vectors, lists, maps, etc.) and algorithms (like sort, find, binary search, etc.), all designed to be generic and reusable.
C generally provides faster execution due to its simplicity and lack of additional features or abstractions. As a low-level language, it allows direct manipulation of memory, which can lead to more efficient programs in terms of speed. On the other hand, C++ is slightly slower than C due to its object-oriented features, templates, exception handling, and other abstractions. However, modern C++ compilers are highly optimized, and the performance difference is often minimal. C++ strikes a good balance between performance and high-level features, making it suitable for more complex applications while still offering competitive speed.
Conclusion
- C is foundational, influencing modern programming.
- C++ builds upon C, adding OOP and high-level features while keeping efficiency.
- Both remain widely used, with C dominating system programming and C++ excelling in software development.