C++ Programming Language

1. Introduction to C++ Programming

Introduction

Introduction to C++ Programming

C++ is a general-purpose programming language created by Bjarne Stroustrup as an extension of the C programming language. It was designed with a bias toward systems programming, embedded systems, resource-constrained software, and large systems, with performance, efficiency, and flexibility as its key design highlights.

Since its inception in 1985, C++ has become one of the most widely used programming languages in the world. It powers operating systems, game engines, database systems, embedded devices, financial trading platforms, and much more. Modern C++ (C++11 and later) introduced features that make the language safer, more expressive, and easier to use.

Why Learn C++?

C++ is the language of choice for performance-critical applications. It offers a unique combination of high-level abstractions and low-level memory control, making it ideal for a wide range of applications.

Performance — C++ compiles to efficient native code with minimal overhead
Control — Direct memory management and hardware access
Object-Oriented — Supports classes, inheritance, polymorphism, and encapsulation
Generic Programming — Templates enable type-safe, reusable code
Standard Library — Rich collection of containers, algorithms, and utilities

Your First C++ Program

The tradition in C++ is to start with a program that prints Hello, World! to the screen. This demonstrates the basic structure of a C++ program.

#include <iostream>

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

OutputHello, World!

The #include directive includes the iostream header for input/output operations. The main() function is the entry point of every C++ program. std::cout is used for output, and std::endl prints a newline and flushes the output buffer.

Compiling C++

C++ code must be compiled before it can be run. The most common compiler is G++ (GNU C++ Compiler) on Linux/macOS, and MSVC on Windows.

# Compile hello.cpp into an executable called hello
g++ hello.cpp -o hello

# Run the program
./hello

# With C++17 standard
g++ -std=c++17 hello.cpp -o hello

# With C++20 standard
g++ -std=c++20 hello.cpp -o hello

Terminal OutputHello, World!

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2. C++ Variables and Data Types