C++ Programming

Last Modified: 1/18/2025

Ⅰ C++ Fundamentals

1 C & C++ Introduction

1. C/C++ is a compiled language.

2. C/C++ compilers map C/C++ programs into architecture-specific machine code (string of 0s and 1s).

   • Unlike Java, which converts to architecture-independent bytecode (run by JVM => Java Virtual Machine).
   • Unlike Python, which directly interprets the code.
   • Main difference is when your program is mapped to low-level machine instructions, CPU will directly interprets and runs.

Compilation Advantages

• Excellent run-time performance:

  Generally much faster than Python or Java for comparable code because it optimizes for the given architecture.

• Fair compilation time:

  Enhancements in compilation procedure (Makefiles) allow us to recompile only the modified files.

Compilation Disadvantages

• Compiled files, including the executable, are arcitecture-specific (CPU type and OS).

  Executable must be rebuilt on each new system, i.e., “porting your code” to a new architecture.

• Instead of “Edit -> Run [repeat]” cycle, “Edit -> Compile -> Run [repeat]” iteration cycle can be slow.

Normal C/C++ Compile & Run:

$ g++ -o hello hello.cpp