C++ Overview
C++ is a statically typed, compiled, general-purpose, case-sensitive, free-form programming language that supports procedural, object-oriented, and generic programming.
C++ is regarded as a middle-level language, as it comprises a combination of both high-level and low-level language features.
C++ was developed by Bjarne Stroustrup starting in 1979 at Bell Labs in Murray Hill, New Jersey, as an enhancement to the C language and originally named C with Classes but later it was renamed C++ in 1983.
C++ is a superset of C, and that virtually any legal C program is a legal C++ program.
Note − A programming language is said to use static typing when type checking is performed during compile-time as opposed to run-time.
Object-Oriented Programming
C++ fully supports object-oriented programming, including the four pillars of object-oriented development −
- Encapsulation
- Data hiding
- Inheritance
- Polymorphism
- Standard Libraries
Standard C++ consists of three important parts −
The core language giving all the building blocks including variables, data types and literals, etc.
The C++ Standard Library giving a rich set of functions manipulating files, strings, etc.
The Standard Template Library (STL) giving a rich set of methods manipulating data structures, etc.
The ANSI Standard
The ANSI standard is an attempt to ensure that C++ is portable; that code you write for Microsoft's compiler will compile without errors, using a compiler on a Mac, UNIX, a Windows box, or an Alpha.
The ANSI standard has been stable for a while, and all the major C++ compiler manufacturers support the ANSI standard.
Learning C++
The most important thing while learning C++ is to focus on concepts.
The purpose of learning a programming language is to become a better programmer; that is, to become more effective at designing and implementing new systems and at maintaining old ones.
C++ supports a variety of programming styles. You can write in the style of Fortran, C, Smalltalk, etc., in any language. Each style can achieve its aims effectively while maintaining runtime and space efficiency.
Use of C++
C++ is used by hundreds of thousands of programmers in essentially every application domain.
C++ is being highly used to write device drivers and other software that rely on direct manipulation of hardware under realtime constraints.
C++ is widely used for teaching and research because it is clean enough for successful teaching of basic concepts.
Anyone who has used either an Apple Macintosh or a PC running Windows has indirectly used C++ because the primary user interfaces of these systems are written in C++.
C++ Environment Setup
Local Environment Setup
If you are still willing to set up your environment for C++, you need to have the following two softwares on your computer.
Text Editor
This will be used to type your program. Examples of few editors include Windows Notepad, OS Edit command, Brief, Epsilon, EMACS, and vim or vi.
Name and version of text editor can vary on different operating systems. For example, Notepad will be used on Windows and vim or vi can be used on windows as well as Linux, or UNIX.
The files you create with your editor are called source files and for C++ they typically are named with the extension .cpp, .cp, or .c.
A text editor should be in place to start your C++ programming.
C++ Compiler
This is an actual C++ compiler, which will be used to compile your source code into final executable program.
Most C++ compilers don't care what extension you give to your source code, but if you don't specify otherwise, many will use .cpp by default.
Most frequently used and free available compiler is GNU C/C++ compiler, otherwise you can have compilers either from HP or Solaris if you have the respective Operating Systems.
Installing GNU C/C++ Compiler
UNIX/Linux Installation
If you are using Linux or UNIX then check whether GCC is installed on your system by entering the following command from the command line −
$ g++ -v
If you have installed GCC, then it should print a message such as the following −
Using built-in specs.
Target: i386-redhat-linux
Configured with: ../configure --prefix=/usr .......
Thread model: posix
gcc version 4.1.2 20080704 (Red Hat 4.1.2-46)
If GCC is not installed, then you will have to install it yourself using the detailed instructions available at
https://gcc.gnu.org/install/
Mac OS X Installation
If you use Mac OS X, the easiest way to obtain GCC is to download the Xcode development environment from Apple's website and follow the simple installation instructions.
Xcode is currently available at developer.apple.com/technologies/tools/.
Windows Installation
To install GCC at Windows you need to install MinGW. To install MinGW, go to the MinGW homepage, www.mingw.org, and follow the link to the MinGW download page. Download the latest version of the MinGW installation program which should be named MinGW-<version>.exe.
While installing MinGW, at a minimum, you must install gcc-core, gcc-g++, binutils, and the MinGW runtime, but you may wish to install more.
Add the bin subdirectory of your MinGW installation to your PATH environment variable so that you can specify these tools on the command line by their simple names.
When the installation is complete, you will be able to run gcc, g++, ar, ranlib, dlltool, and several other GNU tools from the Windows command line.
C++ Basic Syntax
When we consider a C++ program, it can be defined as a collection of objects that communicate via invoking each other's methods. Let us now briefly look into what a class, object, methods, and instant variables mean.
Object −
Objects have states and behaviors. Example: A dog has states - color, name, breed as well as behaviors - wagging, barking, eating. An object is an instance of a class.
Class −
A class can be defined as a template/blueprint that describes the behaviors/states that object of its type support.
Methods −
A method is basically a behavior. A class can contain many methods. It is in methods where the logics are written, data is manipulated and all the actions are executed.
Instance Variables −
Each object has its unique set of instance variables. An object's state is created by the values assigned to these instance variables.
Next topic in next blog (coming soon) ••••••
Blog overview
- C++ Overview
- Object oriented programing
- The ANSI Standard
- Learning C++
- Uses of C++
- C++ environment setup
- Local environment setup
- Text editor
- C++ compiler
- Installing GNU C/C++ Compiler
- UNIX/Linux Installation
- Mac OS X Installation
- Windows Installation
- C++ basic oi syntax
- Object
- class
- Method
- instance variable
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