Introduction to C++

Learn the fundamentals of C++ programming language

What is C++?

C++ is a general-purpose programming language created by Bjarne Stroustrup as an extension of the C programming language, or "C with Classes". The language has expanded significantly over time, and modern C++ now has object-oriented, generic, and functional features in addition to facilities for low-level memory manipulation.

It is used for:

System/software development
Game development
Device drivers
Embedded systems
High-performance applications
Client-server applications

History of C++

C++ was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup at Bell Labs starting in 1979. Stroustrup wanted to enhance C with features for object-oriented programming. Initially, the language was called "C with Classes" but was renamed to C++ in 1983.

The name C++ is a play on the increment operator (++) in C, suggesting that C++ is an incremented version of C.

Over the years, C++ has evolved significantly:

1985: First commercial release of C++ (Cfront)
1989: C++ 2.0 released
1998: First ISO/IEC standard (C++98)
2003: Technical report (TR1) with library extensions
2011: Major revision (C++11) with many new features
2014: Minor update (C++14)
2017: Another update (C++17)
2020: Latest major revision (C++20)

Key Features of C++

C++ combines the features of both high-level and low-level languages. Some of its key features include:

Object-Oriented Programming

C++ supports the four main pillars of OOP: encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphism, and abstraction.

Low-Level Memory Manipulation

C++ provides direct access to memory and hardware, allowing for efficient system programming.

Generic Programming

Templates enable writing code that works with any data type, promoting code reuse and type safety.

Standard Template Library (STL)

A rich collection of template classes and functions that provide common data structures and algorithms.

Your First C++ Program: Hello World

Let's look at a simple C++ program that prints "Hello, World!" to the console:

#include <iostream>

    int main() {
        std::cout << "Hello, World!" << std::endl;
        return 0;
    }

Let's break down this program:

#include <iostream>: This line includes the input/output stream library.
int main(): The main function is the entry point of every C++ program.
std::cout << "Hello, World!" << std::endl;: This line outputs the text to the console.
return 0;: This indicates that the program executed successfully.

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