In this article, our C++ experts Dmitry Petrachkov and Anton Cheplyukov discuss the advantages of C++ programming and why it might be the right choice for your project. You may wonder how choosing a particular language could influence your end product. After all, many programming languages can serve the same purpose. Consider the following example:
Imagine you need to create a product capable of processing long videos quickly. While you may be able to use Python or JavaScript for something like this, they will most likely use a C++ module in the background. In some cases, the module might not even exist in that language, and you would need to write them in C++ separately. These difficulties could simply be avoided by writing in C++ from the beginning. Clearly, the right programming language could save a lot of valuable resources. How can you decide if C++ is the right choice for your project?
Does C++ meet your projects requirements?
According to HubSpot, most customers want the end product to fulfill the following requirements: functionality, price, convenience, experience, design, reliability, performance, efficiency, and compatibility. How do C++ based technologies stack up when trying to fulfill these requirements?
Functionality. Many widely used programs have been developed with C++, like Adobe Photoshop, Google Chrome, and MySQL. In fact, many compilers for languages like C# and Java are written only in C++. The functionality of C++ is evident by its popularity and by the variety of programs that use it.
Price. C++’s wide use means it has many free and well-known development tools that help teams reduce the costs of additional licenses. Since these tools have been around a while and are well-adapted to unique situations, C++ engineers usually have experience with them. This eliminates some of the costs associated with training teams to work with a new tool.
Convenience. From drivers and firmware to high-performance applications and cloud services, C++ can be used for a wide range of purposes. It gives you the freedom to create virtually any kind of a product since it lacks the limitations of other languages.
Design. C++ works well with various graphic interfaces, allowing for more flexibility with design. For example, the combination of QML and the Qt framework (a C++ based framework) gives designers the capability to create beautiful GUI designs.
Reliability. Products developed with the help of C++ are usually stable, have high performance, and have good functionality. The quality of the C++ language is a big contributor to this stability. Another contributor is early detection. Because C++ needs to be compiled many errors and warnings are detected during the compiling. In contrast, script languages are not compilable, and they miss out on an extra layer of quality assurance.
Performance. Digital products created with C++ are able to work both on simple devices and on powerful machines. They are well-suited for any kind of operating system and facilitate the creation of cross-platform solutions.
Efficiency. C++ allows working with low primitives (registers and RAW memory), as well as with any kind of abstractions (operating systems, cloud services, and others). As a result, there is no need for third-party adapters or modules, which makes finding the most effective solutions much easier.
Compatibility. C++ is compatible with everything. For example, you are able to fully customize the interaction with modules written in C# or Managed C++. It completely supports any kind of inter-processor and network communication. As a result, you can use C++ for any kind of infrastructure that is being used on the client’s side.
C++ can help you create software that checks off all the boxes your users care about.
But, what are the technical advantages it holds over the competition?
What advantages does C++ have over its competitors?
If we compare C++ with other compilable languages, like Java or C#, it beats the competition in many categories. These include syntax, program execution, standardization, and other parameters.
Syntax. C++’s syntax is highly compatible with C, which helps solve, as well as prevent, a range of programming issues. Its flexibility also allows developers to do things not possible with other languages and create programs for unique-use cases.
Program Execution. C++ compiles directly to the machine code of a platform, which allows devs to use C++ for low-level system utilities and drivers. Writing this code in Java or C# could lead to additional costs since these languages compile into an intermediate code that needs to be interpreted and compiled later. Also, Java and C# require an intermediate processing level in the runtime like Java Virtual Machine and Microsoft .NET Framework, which add their own performance and facility restrictions.
Environment Standardization. C++ doesn’t have any standards concerning GUI, access to databases, dialogs, and so on, which makes it a more flexible programming language. This allows developers to create their own standards for a unique situation.
Programming Paradigm. Most object-oriented languages do not allow procedural programming. Dmitry shares, “You could implement some kind of procedural programming in other languages. However, that would require a lot of additional work. In contrast, C++ allows procedural programming as needed, saving time and resources.”
C++ is built for speed, flexibility, and stability out of the box. This makes it an appealing choice for developers with almost any type of project from low-level system utilities to high-performance video software.
Are you thinking about your next project?
There is virtually no application in the world of high-tech where C/C++ couldn’t be used. Creating operating systems, applications, drivers, apps for embedded systems, high-performance servers, and games are just a few of the purposes for which C++ is being used today. Is C++ the right choice for your next project? Talk to one of our experts to see if C++ can help you build a better product.