C++ overview

The last two assignments in this course will be implemented in C++. We don't teach C++ in lecture (although there will be a number of tutorials dealing with it) so you'll need a manual (consider Stroustrup's The C++ Programming Language or Satir and Brown C++, the Core Language.

Having said that, let's consider the differences and similarities between C and C++.

Some similarities:

• C++ is an extension (superset) of C: most C programs are also C++ programs.
• Basic data types (int, char, float, void) are the same in C and C++
• You declare variables and functions in the same way.
• A program still has main() outside any class, which is the starting point for execution. There may be other functions outside any class.
• preprocessor directives are inherited from C (#include, etcetera).

Some differences:

• C++ has an additional streamed I/O facilitiy (cout, cerr etc.). We won't go there, but keep using stdio.h
• dynamic memory allocation adds features to make it easier.
• C++ has classes
• C++ allows the // form of comment (lasts until the end of the currentline).
• struct foo ...; creates a type foo -- declarations foo a; and struct foo a; both work.
• You can mix declarations and other statements.