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What Is C++?

What Is C++?

Get introduced to C++, its fundamentals, and why we should learn it.

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C++ is a high-level programming language used to create high-performance applications. As a programming language, C++ provides lots of characteristics that make it the best choice for coders.

Why should we learn C++?

C++ is renowned for its efficiency, making its use ideal in resource-constrained systems and applications that require high performance. The ability to have control over memory management helps in the optimization of code for speed and efficiency. C++ can be used in a wide spectrum of applications, including system programming, graphics programming, scientific computing, etc. Notable real-world applications, libraries, and frameworks include:

  • System programming: Operating systems like Windows and Linux are often developed using C++. Additionally, tools like the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) are implemented in C++.

  • Graphics programming: C++ is the programming language for popular game engines like Unreal Engine and graphics libraries like OpenGL and DirectX.

  •  Scientific computing: Libraries like Armadillo and Eigen provide powerful linear algebra capabilities for scientific computing tasks.

C++ also has a very large community that contributes to its rich ecosystem of libraries, frameworks, and resources. The community works toward continuously improving and innovating the language. Just a heads-up, C++ is a complex language syntax-wise, so it is easier to learn other languages like Python and Java, which are relatively easier and are based on similar concepts.

What should we be careful about?

C++ offers a relatively steeper learning curve than the rest of the languages because of its complex syntax, which can lead to slow development for new coders. C++ is of a low-level nature and offers powerful, yet complex, features like manual memory management. Because of this added complexity, beginner programmers may face memory management issues and various other mistakes in their code. 

Another point to keep in mind is that there are some scenarios where C++ is the best choice, but in applications where rapid development is prioritized over raw performance, C++ might just be overkill. So, coders for such types of applications usually opt for languages that offer ease of use and high-level abstractions. For example, Python is the language of choice for writing automation scripts, application interface prototyping, and various web application development tasks.

Hello World!

The first program that C++ beginners will write when they start coding is mostly the classic “Hello World” program. The purpose of this program is to display the “Hello World!” text and to get the beginner user, who has just started coding is to get them familiar with the language and its syntax.

Try running the following widget—we’ll explain this program in detail in the next lesson.

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C++
//This program displays “Hello World!” on the screen
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main() {
    cout << "Hello World!";
    return 0;
}

Replace “Hello World!” with some other text—your own name, perhaps. Be careful that you don’t remove the double quotes. Click the “Run” button again and see what happens.

C++ as a structural language

Before discussing the particulars, it is useful to consider a computer program simultaneously in terms of its structure and its meaning.

A C++ program is structured in a specific manner. C++ is a language and, therefore, has a grammar similar to a spoken language like English. The grammar of computer languages is usually much simpler than spoken languages, but has the disadvantage of having stricter rules. Applying this structure or grammar to the language is what allows the computer to understand the program and what it is supposed to do.

The overall program has a structure, but it is also important to understand the purpose of part of that structure. By analogy, a textbook can be split into sections, chapters, paragraphs, sentences, and words (the structure), but it is also necessary to understand the overall meaning of the words, sentences, and chapters to fully understand the content of the textbook. You can think of this as the semantics of the program.