Difference between C and C++

Parameter	C	C++
Programming Paradigm	C is a structural or procedural programming language.	C is a structural as well as an object-oriented programming language.
History	C was developed by scientist Dennis Ritchie in 1972 at Bell Laboratories.	C was developed by Bjarne Stroustup in 1979.
Approach	C follows a top-down approach	C follows the bottom-up approach.
Keywords	C contains 32 keywords	C++ contains 63 keywords.
Data Types	C supports built-in data types.	C++ support both built-in and user-defined data types.
File Extension	.c is the file extension for C programming language	.cpp is the file extension for C++ programming language
Header File	<stdio.h> header file is used by C language	<iostream.h> header file is used by C++ language
Allocation and Deallocation of Memory	In C language, we use calloc() and malloc() for dynamic allocation of memory and free() for deallocation of memory.	In C++ language, we use a new operator for the allocation of memory and a delete operator for the deallocation of memory.
Access Modifier	C language does not support access modifier	C++ support access modifier
Security	C does not have any security features so it can be manipulated by outsider	C++ is a secure language as it offers security features such as data hiding and encapsulation
Reference Variable	C does not support reference variable	C++ support reference variable
Function Overloading and Function Overriding	C don’t supports function overloading and function overriding	C++ supports function overloading and function overriding
Exception Handling	C does not support exception handling directly, it uses the function that support exception handling	C++ directly support exception handling with the help of try – catch block
Program Division	C is a procedural language, so code written in C are divided in separate blocks known as function	C++ is a object oriented language, so code and divided into classes and objects
Inline Function	C doesn’t support inline function	C++ support inline function
Driven Type	C is known as function driven language	C is known as object driven language
Compatibility	Code written in C language can be run on C++ compiler as C is the foundational language	Code written in C++ language can be run on C compiler as C++ language includes OOP’s concept
Data and Function	In C, the data and function are separated as it is a procedural programming language	In C++, the data and function are encapsulated as it is a object oriented programming language
Input and Output Function	In C scanf() and printf() functions are used to take the input and output respectively	In C++ cin and cout functions are used to take the input and output respectively
Application Development	C language is more suitable for low level implementation such as network driver, text editor, assembler, etc	C++ language is more suitable for high level implementation such as game development, smartwatches, embedded systems, etc
Namespace	To prevent the collision and organize the code, namespace is needed but C does not support that	C++ support the namespace
Used By	MySQL, Windows Kerne, Oracle Database, Telegram messenger, etc	Google Chrome, Torque 3-D game, Microsoft Office, etc

Similarity Between C and C++

Both C and C++ follows similar code structure
They both have the similar compilation
They also follow similar coding syntax
C++ have extended grammar but the basic grammar is same as C
Their memory model is very close to the hardware
The both languages have the similar notation of stack, heap and file scope variable.
Mostly all C operators and keywords are present in C++ as well.

Example Program of C and C++

Addition of Two Integers

#include<stdio.h>
int main(){    
int x, y, sum=0;
printf("Enter the two integers x and y: ");
scanf("%d %d", &x, &y);
// calculating sum of two integer
sum = x + y;      
printf("%d + %d = %d", x, y, sum);
return 0;
}

C++

#include<iostream>
using namespace std;
void main() {
int a, b, sum=0;
cout<<"Enter the value for two integers: ";
cin>>a>>b;
// sum of two numbers in stored in variable sum
sum = a + b;
// prints the sum of two numbers 
cout<<a<< " + " <<b<< " = " <<sum;     
return 0;
}

Conclusion

As per the features and difference between C and C++, we can understand that it depends upon the programmer which language will be preferred to choose as per the need of the project.

C language seems to be more suitable for low-level programming applications, and it is also a foundational language for beginners, whereas C++ is an extension of C programming language with the OOP’s concept, so it is more feasible for complex applications also it is faster, secure. The demand for the C++ language shows the bright scope for the developers. Take up a Turbo C++ course that will help you upskill.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, C++ or C?

C++ is an extension of C programming language, with enhanced features of OOP’s concept, so if you want to build a complex and secure project, then C++ will be preferred over C.

How does C++ differ from C language?

C is a structural or procedural programming language that was used for system applications and low-level programming applications. Whereas C++ is an object-oriented programming language having some additional features like Encapsulation, Data Hiding, Data Abstraction, Inheritance, Polymorphism, etc. This helps to make a complex project more secure and flexible.

Is C still used by the developers?

Yes, today also, many companies and developers use the C programming language.

Why is C++ preferred over the C programming language?

C++ is an extension of the C language along with Object-Oriented Programming language (OOPs) that gives the advantage of security, better performance, speed, scalability, built-in library, and many more. Due to this, C++ is preferred if someone wants to work on complex projects.