- April 29, 2021
C++ is the backbone of various programming languages and frameworks used today. Be it Apple, Machine Learning libraries (TensorFlow), or Python, C++ finds its way into the mix.
C++ is an extended version of the C language. It is an object-oriented programming language as well as a functional language, compiled and strongly typed language. C++ syntax is considered difficult by many developers in comparison with Python or Java, however, its capabilities to control CPU interrupts, memory management using pointers make it distinguishable from almost all the programming languages.
When to use C++ and why?
Hardware Programming and Embedded Systems
Most of the modern programming languages such as Java, C#, etc target software development. Hardware programming is a difficult and sophisticated area where development needs to be done at a low-level machine code. C++ however is a high-level language that allows programming hardware easily. This makes this language unique and best to use in this area. C++ makes use of Hardware Interrupts and Pointers that give the developer access to low-level capabilities making C++ closer to the hardware level.
Building Libraries
C++ is the language that has given birth to several programming languages, each aiming to simplify syntax or target specific use cases. Among these languages, Python is very worth mentioning. Because C++ lives under the hood, code libraries are often built using C++ and exported as dlls or wrapped in wrappers.
Cross-Platform Applications
C++ is considered to be a universal application. C++ compilers are present for all the popular Operating Systems such as Linux, Windows, and macOS. If you have the code that you want to compile across all operating systems, choose C++. You will never regret it.
High-Performance Software/Desktop Applications
C++ is known for its execution speed. C++ champions in concurrency and thread management. IPC (Interprocess communication) is another important aspect of C++. Speed of execution is very critical in most applications such as a database. C++ hence remains the top choice of developers when applications need to be resilient, and no compromise can be made on execution speed.
Applications where low-level control is desired
C++ allows manipulation of memory spaces in a more detailed fashion than most programming languages. This makes C++ ideals for the applications where developers need to have a controlled approach for low-level precision. Because of this, C++ becomes ideals in developing databases such as MySQL or complicated applications such as Adobe Photoshop.
Conclusion
C++ is the industry leader in the areas where this language makes life easy fro and delivers the best performance. However, developers need to be extremely cautious with the use cases of their applications.