In this tutorial, we shall explain the main difference between C and C++ languages. As we all know both C and C++ are programming languages and C++ language is a superset of the C language.
The main difference between these two languages is C is a general-purpose, procedural computer programming language supporting structured programming, lexical variable scope, and recursion, with a static type system. That’s machine-independent and broadly utilized in a variety of applications and doesn’t support classes and objects, whereas C++ is a combo of both procedural and object-oriented programming languages; hence C++ can be known as a hybrid language.
C is frequently known as the mother of all programming language since it’s among the most popular programming languages. Right from the time, it had developed, C is now the most frequently used and favourite programming languages. The majority of the compilers and kernels written in C.
C is also known as a middle-level language since it binds the gap between a machine-level language and high-level languages. A user can utilize C language to perform System Programming as well as Application Programming.
You might have to use C when you’re low on resources and do not require object-oriented abilities. C language uses the set of instruction to inform the computer precisely what to do step by step. Its depend on the processes, more specific routines or subroutines. Since it follows the processes, therefore it adopts the top-down strategy.
C, FORTRAN, or Pascal are high-level language (HLL) that enables a developer to write programs which are more or less independent on a particular type of computer. Such languages believed high-level because they’re closer to human languages and further from machine languages.
For many people, C++ is a better option. It has more features, and for many people, it is going to be easier to understand and use. However, C remains applicable, and learning how to program in C may enhance the way you program in C++. Neither language isn’t the right choice, and the two have practical career applications.
Many beginning programmers will understand C before C++ as a result of the straightforwardness of the language. As a procedural language, it is often easier for novices to grasp. By studying C first, developers may get acclimated to the procedural side of the language and learn object-oriented programming via C++.
Generally, C or C++ are used in operating systems due to the speed and strongly typed nature of those languages. C++ works on a hardware level and can be a relatively low-level language. As a result of this reason, its use in several compilers as a backend programming language.
Differences between C and C++
The following are the important differences C vs C++.
| Sr | Attribute | C | C++ |
| 1 | Introduction | C was developed by Dennis Ritchie in around 1969 at AT&T Bell Labs. | Bjarne Stroustrup developed C++ in 1979. |
| 2 | Language Type | As mentioned before C is procedural programming and does not support the OOPs. | C++ supports both procedural and object-oriented programming paradigms. |
| 3 | Approach | C language Support top down approach | C++ Support bottom-up approach. |
| 4 | File extension | C language file extenion is .c | C++ file extenion is .cpp |
| 5 | Program division | In C language divide a massive program into small pieces which are called functions. | C++ programming language divides an extensive program into Objects and Classes. |
| 6 | Inline function | C does not Support inline Function. | C language Support inline Function. |
| 7 | Standard I/O operations | In C scanf() and printf() functions used for the standard input and output. | In C++ cin, and cout are used for standard input and output operations. |
| 8 | Data Security | In C data is not secured and can manipulate by outside code. | C++ encapsulation hides the data to ensure external functions can’t access it. |
| 9 | Compatibility with other languages | C is not compatible with another language. | C++ is consistent with other languages. |
| 10 | Pointer and Reference variable support | C does not support Reference variables it supports Pointers only. | C++ supports reference variables and pointers. |
| 11 | Variable Declaration | In C, the variable can declare at the beginning. | In C++, you declare variables anywhere in the Function. |
| 12 | Operator Overloading supported | C does not support function and operator overloading. | C++ supports both function and operator overloading. |
| 13 | Data Types | C language supports built-in data types. | C++ supports both Built-in & user-defined data types. |
| 14 | Exception Handling | Exception handling is not supported by C. | C++ support Exception handling. |
| 15 | Default Arrangements | C Does not support functions with default arrangements. | C++ support functions with default arrangements. |
| 16 | Namespace | C does not have Namespace features. | C++ have Namespace. |
| 17 | Keywords | C contains 32 keywords. | C++ contains 52 keywords. |
| 18 | Driven type | C, generally called function-driven language. | C++ is known as object driven language. |
| 19 | Relationship | C is a subset of C++. | C++ is a superset of C. |
| 20 | Data focus | C focuses on method or procedure. | C++ focuses on data instead of method or procedure. |
| 21 | Inheritance Support | C does not support inheritance. | C++ supports inheritance. |
| 22 | Function support | C does not support Virtual and friend functions. | C++ support Virtual and friend functions. |
| 23 | Header file Support | C support stdio.h | C++ support iostream.h. |
| 24 | Data and Function | C support Data and functions separately. | C++ support Data and functions they encapsulated together. |
| 25 | Memory Allocation | C support malloc() and calloc() functions for memory allocation, and free() for memory de-allocation. | C++ support new operator for memory allocation and delete operator for memory de-allocation. |
| 26 | Encapsulation | C Does not support encapsulation. | C++ supports encapsulation. |
| 27 | Data hiding | C does not support data hiding. | C++ support data hiding. |
| 28 | Data Mapping | In C mapping between Data and Function is complicated. | C++ mapping between Data and Function can quickly establish using “Classes and Objects.” |
| 29 | Virtual Function | C support virtual Functions. | C++ does not support virtual Function. |
Dinesh Thakur holds an B.C.A, MCDBA, MCSD certifications. Dinesh authors the hugely popular