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Ask HN: Which is better in your opinion: C or C++.Justify your answer?

2 points by Forgret 1y ago

RS-232 1y ago
You would reach for one or the other depending on what you’re trying to do. They excel at different things. C: language interop/FFI C++: systems programming But if you HAD to pick one, it has to be C for ubiquity.
ankurdhama 1y ago
Given the choice between these I will probably pick C++ because of its feature that allows creation of higher level of abstractions. Abstractions are not just about "nice code", they are more about helping you think through complex problem.
- Forgret 1y ago
  I will choose C for one simple reason: less unnecessary overhead. In C++, a lot of additional stuff can be added to the binary after compilation, which makes it harder to fully control. With C, I get a clean binary right away, and that’s what I prefer.
incomingpain 1y ago
When I coded in C++, it was nearly indistinguishable from C. I didnt use any of the ++ benefits.
aarkaay 1y ago
C for more control, C++ for easier coding. Depends totally on use case. In some cases, where speed matters, C is KING.
drweevil 1y ago
In my programming career I mainly used both C and C++ on DOS/Windows, SunOS, and Linux (with a side of Pascal and Python). Mostly C++ though. C: Pre C++, C was it. (It was Borland's excellent Turbo C that got me going in C.) After C++ became available C was still what one used for device drivers and other system-level modules, and was the choice for FFI interfacing for languages such as Python. C++: for userland layers of instrument control systems, user programs, GUIs, etc. C++ offers a few very important advantages: * Its object system allows for better abstraction facilities. For example, smart pointers were very useful in mitigating memory leaks. (I even wrote a smart pointer that--under a generalized pointer interface--specialized in allocating and managing DOS extended memory. Remember that shit? Doing the same in C was a PITA.) * Later, template metaprogramming took this to a new level. Though C++ metaprogramming is not nearly as flexible as the ones in Lisps, it is still tremendously useful. * The STL arose from both of these features, and provides a rich set of abstractions: queues, maps, trees, etc. People did tend to overuse the OOP facilities (everything is an object!) but it's hard to overstate how useful OOP and metaprogramming can be. Use C++ unless there is a good reason to use C.

2 points by Forgret 1y ago

You would reach for one or the other depending on what you’re trying to do. They excel at different things. C: language interop/FFI C++: systems programming But if you HAD to pick one, it has to be C for ubiquity.

ankurdhama 1y ago

Given the choice between these I will probably pick C++ because of its feature that allows creation of higher level of abstractions. Abstractions are not just about "nice code", they are more about helping you think through complex problem.

Forgret 1y ago
I will choose C for one simple reason: less unnecessary overhead. In C++, a lot of additional stuff can be added to the binary after compilation, which makes it harder to fully control. With C, I get a clean binary right away, and that’s what I prefer.

incomingpain 1y ago

When I coded in C++, it was nearly indistinguishable from C. I didnt use any of the ++ benefits.

aarkaay 1y ago

C for more control, C++ for easier coding. Depends totally on use case. In some cases, where speed matters, C is KING.

drweevil 1y ago

In my programming career I mainly used both C and C++ on DOS/Windows, SunOS, and Linux (with a side of Pascal and Python). Mostly C++ though. C: Pre C++, C was it. (It was Borland's excellent Turbo C that got me going in C.) After C++ became available C was still what one used for device drivers and other system-level modules, and was the choice for FFI interfacing for languages such as Python. C++: for userland layers of instrument control systems, user programs, GUIs, etc. C++ offers a few very important advantages: * Its object system allows for better abstraction facilities. For example, smart pointers were very useful in mitigating memory leaks. (I even wrote a smart pointer that--under a generalized pointer interface--specialized in allocating and managing DOS extended memory. Remember that shit? Doing the same in C was a PITA.) * Later, template metaprogramming took this to a new level. Though C++ metaprogramming is not nearly as flexible as the ones in Lisps, it is still tremendously useful. * The STL arose from both of these features, and provides a rich set of abstractions: queues, maps, trees, etc. People did tend to overuse the OOP facilities (everything is an object!) but it's hard to overstate how useful OOP and metaprogramming can be. Use C++ unless there is a good reason to use C.