What is the difference between C and C++?

Pepcoding
3 min readFeb 3, 2022

When it comes to C and C++, newbie programmers might get confused between the two languages. With such familiar names, it might seem that they are interlinked in some way or the other, but we would like to break it to you that that’s not the case.

This blog intends to familiarize you with the difference between the two similar yet quite different programming languages.

But before we begin, let’s discuss the basics in brief:

A programming language is a type of computer language or constructive language that is used to send commands to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control a device’s behaviour or to express algorithms.

The computer languages C and C++ are widely used in application development. You should have a basic grasp of how these two languages function if you want to work as a computer programmer. While their names are very similar, each has its own set of functions and applications.

What is the C programming language?

C is a high-level traditional programming language that may be used to create firmware and portable programs. The C programming language was designed specifically for developing system software. It’s a fantastic language for developing firmware systems.

The following are the main characteristics and attributes of the C programming language:

  • C is a procedural programming language.
  • C follows a top-down approach, which means that the major () function or module is handled first, followed by the sub-functions.
  • It’s a programming language for techniques.
  • It is incapable of supporting classes and objects.
  • It keeps track of pointers.

What is the C++ programming language?

C++ is a subset of the C programming language. Its purpose was to provide programmers better control over system resources including memory. The main advantage of using C++ is its speed. You may also reduce the speed of the computer’s CPU, making it quicker than certain other progressive programming languages.

The following are the main characteristics and attributes of the C++ programming language:

  • C++ is an object-oriented programming language that supports classes.
  • It is more efficient and speedier.
  • It uses a bottom-up approach, meaning that the sub-functions are processed first, and then the processing moves on to the main () function.
  • It offers a sizable library of operations and techniques that may be put to use to achieve such advanced capabilities.
  • Pointers and references are kept in C++.

You must be familiar with the fact that both C and C++ are programming languages that are used for application development. Let’s discuss their differences too:

What is the difference between C and C++?

If you are familiar with more such differences, do let us know.

Author: Sejal Shaw

Hopefully, this was a helpful blog. You can also read:

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