Why use C++ in 2021?

Owned by Eliot Muir
Last updated: Dec 20, 2021
1 min read

It comes down the alternatives are:

  • C - not bad but I personally would find it difficult not to have some the features that C++ gives like templates for typesafe collections classes and a couple of other features

  • Languages like C# and Java don’t make memory management part of the normal programmer’s mindset so it’s hard to write really performant code.

  • C++ is mature - the compilers are mature,

    • No missing language features to wait on

    • Produces good quality machine code

  • C++ is ANSI standard - not controlled by any single organization like say Go, Delphi, Rust etc.

What isn’t wonderful about C++?

  • It’s gotten very complex - any company using the language needs to invest in training to build consensus on what subset of the language to use.

  • It’s a bit of bothersome trend that we are boiling down to only a few implementations of the language.

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