3 ms·

C++ clear winner in Google language tests

11 points by telma1234 15y ago

stevoski 15y ago
The article says "best _performing_ language". Quite different from "best language"
- ignifero 15y ago
  Aesthetic reasons aside, in production systems, performance is all that matters.
  - _delirium 15y ago
    Getting features implemented: 1) at all; and 2) correctly; can also be important.
  - lelele 15y ago
    Not at all: acceptable performance of critical sections of code is.
- antoarts 15y ago
  And, according to that article, they only compared 4 different languages. I think that C could've performed better (C compilers usually give little faster code than C++ compilers do) and well-written and optimized Assembly could do well as well.
planb 15y ago
The article (or better: the paper which the article is referencing) says that C++ is the "best-performing" programming language. That's a whole different thing (or everyone would still be coding in assembler).
kahawe 15y ago
C/C++ has always been somewhat elusive for me; during study and work so far, I did almost everything BUT C/C++. So, how to get started on modern C++? Can anyone recommend books, websites, best practices or other resources? I know the Java guys are very fond of their eclipse/netbeans/IDEA and ant/maven; what do C++ projects nowadays look like and what are the typical tools used to code and build? Are there any library collections or tools one should definitely check out? Are there any "industry standards"? And while we are at it: what about COBOL? Any chance of learning that without having a 40 ton mainframe and the necessary nuclear power plant to run it at home?
- rch 15y ago
  Visual Studio is common enough in the games industry to be considered a standard for C++ development, but you might also try Sun/Solaris Studio... assuming want an IDE, that is.
- wglb 15y ago
  The Stanley Lippman book is a good tutorial. Further study of the topic is from the Scott Meyers books, which are very clear and well-written. Certainly on Windows, Visual Studio is popular. Back during my 10 year stint doing C++, I held the opinion that it took on the order of two years of programming C++ full time to master the language. If you are looking for the full language, it is not clear that two years is adequate. Ok, so my advice about COBOL. If you get stuck writing a lot of RPG, then COBOL is a good rescue. Otherwise, it thought to cause brain damage, and is best to be avoided.
- roel_v 15y ago
  Visual Studio is by far the best C++ IDE, even more when you use some plugins like Visual Assist and ViEmu (that last one depends on one's fondness for vi, of course ;) ) I don't think it's practically feasible for an average programmer to learn the whole language (or even the part that is necessary to know to do 'modern' C++ programming) in their spare time, with no or little prior understanding of lower level programming (memory layout, compilation steps, ...). It has many features and most are very intricate, and it's very easy to get stuck for several evenings on something that experienced C++ users wouldn't even recognize as a stumbling block. 'Modern' C++ is full of template use, very hard to read libraries so it's hard to learn from them, and the quality of information online varies widely. I agree with the above poster that it would take 2 years of full time using C++ to consider one self an 'experienced' C++ programmer. That said, I still think the Stroustrup is the first book anyone learning C++ should read, although that's not a popular opinion (actually I think one should start with the K&R but I consider C prerequisite knowledge). Then Koenig & Moo, Alexandrescu, then the Meyers & Lippman series. While reading these one should do the exercises and parallel with that implement a real project. The above plan is completely unrealistic though, so i guess learning C++ like everybody else (being thrown into a project and sink or swim) is the more realistic route :)
- 15y ago
route66 15y ago
previously discussed here http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2615096 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2615096

11 points by telma1234 15y ago

stevoski 15y ago

The article says "best _performing_ language". Quite different from "best language"

ignifero 15y ago
Aesthetic reasons aside, in production systems, performance is all that matters.
- _delirium 15y ago
  Getting features implemented: 1) at all; and 2) correctly; can also be important.
- lelele 15y ago
  Not at all: acceptable performance of critical sections of code is.
antoarts 15y ago
And, according to that article, they only compared 4 different languages. I think that C could've performed better (C compilers usually give little faster code than C++ compilers do) and well-written and optimized Assembly could do well as well.

planb 15y ago

The article (or better: the paper which the article is referencing) says that C++ is the "best-performing" programming language. That's a whole different thing (or everyone would still be coding in assembler).

kahawe 15y ago

C/C++ has always been somewhat elusive for me; during study and work so far, I did almost everything BUT C/C++. So, how to get started on modern C++? Can anyone recommend books, websites, best practices or other resources? I know the Java guys are very fond of their eclipse/netbeans/IDEA and ant/maven; what do C++ projects nowadays look like and what are the typical tools used to code and build? Are there any library collections or tools one should definitely check out? Are there any "industry standards"? And while we are at it: what about COBOL? Any chance of learning that without having a 40 ton mainframe and the necessary nuclear power plant to run it at home?

rch 15y ago
Visual Studio is common enough in the games industry to be considered a standard for C++ development, but you might also try Sun/Solaris Studio... assuming want an IDE, that is.
wglb 15y ago
The Stanley Lippman book is a good tutorial. Further study of the topic is from the Scott Meyers books, which are very clear and well-written. Certainly on Windows, Visual Studio is popular. Back during my 10 year stint doing C++, I held the opinion that it took on the order of two years of programming C++ full time to master the language. If you are looking for the full language, it is not clear that two years is adequate. Ok, so my advice about COBOL. If you get stuck writing a lot of RPG, then COBOL is a good rescue. Otherwise, it thought to cause brain damage, and is best to be avoided.
roel_v 15y ago
Visual Studio is by far the best C++ IDE, even more when you use some plugins like Visual Assist and ViEmu (that last one depends on one's fondness for vi, of course ;) ) I don't think it's practically feasible for an average programmer to learn the whole language (or even the part that is necessary to know to do 'modern' C++ programming) in their spare time, with no or little prior understanding of lower level programming (memory layout, compilation steps, ...). It has many features and most are very intricate, and it's very easy to get stuck for several evenings on something that experienced C++ users wouldn't even recognize as a stumbling block. 'Modern' C++ is full of template use, very hard to read libraries so it's hard to learn from them, and the quality of information online varies widely. I agree with the above poster that it would take 2 years of full time using C++ to consider one self an 'experienced' C++ programmer. That said, I still think the Stroustrup is the first book anyone learning C++ should read, although that's not a popular opinion (actually I think one should start with the K&R but I consider C prerequisite knowledge). Then Koenig & Moo, Alexandrescu, then the Meyers & Lippman series. While reading these one should do the exercises and parallel with that implement a real project. The above plan is completely unrealistic though, so i guess learning C++ like everybody else (being thrown into a project and sink or swim) is the more realistic route :)
15y ago

route66 15y ago

previously discussed here http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2615096 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2615096