How to Become Passionate about C++

The saying "One is an enemy of what one does not know" holds true for C++. Compared to other languages, C++ was designed to be close to the hardware, operating at a low level near the machine language. This gives it maximum power and efficiency, building upon the legacy of the C language, which was created in the 1970s for this very purpose. Many of C++'s commands are low-level, focused on achieving optimal performance. C was the language used to program the Unix operating system, and over time, numerous specialized libraries were built for various domains.

Bjarne Stroustrup further developed C into C++ in the late 1970s by adding object-oriented programming (OOP), a concept popularized by the Simula language. Generic programming was also introduced, leading to significant advancements. C++ evolved on the same foundations of efficiency and power, with less emphasis on ease of use. Its most notable feature was giving programmers complete freedom to control memory, which contributed to its unmatched performance.

For a time, C++ was unrivaled until languages with garbage collection emerged. While garbage collection made memory management easier, it often came at the cost of slower performance compared to C++. Since 1990, when C++ became an ISO standard, it has been used to build some of the most impressive and efficient systems, from programming languages and operating systems to thrilling games, massive computational software, simulation programs, engineering applications, 3D graphics, and more. It consistently excelled in all these areas.

With the advent of remarkable languages like Java, C#, Go, Python, and JavaScript, each offering amazing solutions and ease of use, it was agreed to modernize C++ to keep pace with the latest programming advancements. Starting in 2011, the modern C++ era began with the release of C++11, followed by C++14, C++17, C++20, and C++23, with C++26 currently in development. These versions, collectively known as Modern C++, introduced numerous additions to the language, bridging many gaps between C++ and newer languages while maintaining its natural evolution.

However, memory management and thread safety remained challenges often highlighted by competitors, especially advocates of Rust, which boasts rigorous memory safety and automatic prevention of leaks and errors through its compiler. This is undoubtedly a significant achievement, but C++'s freedom in memory management is fundamental to its philosophy. While similar features could be added to C++, maintaining compatibility with millions of existing libraries and codebases written in C++ would be a daunting task if this philosophy were altered. There are undoubtedly other obstacles as well, which are beyond the scope of this discussion.

If you understand these aspects and believe in the power and uniqueness of C++, here are some points to fuel your passion for it:

• Master Memory Management: Strive to understand C++'s approach to memory handling and utilize all the modern features added to enhance memory safety. Be disciplined in manually tracking and freeing memory as soon as it's no longer needed.

• Thread Safety Expertise: Maintain a meticulous approach to multithreading and data sharing between threads. Employ the latest techniques to avoid any interference during data sharing.

• Deep Dive into Pointers: Gain a profound understanding of pointers, their syntax, and how to work with them effectively. This will help you overcome the headache that plagues many C++ programmers or causes them to avoid pointers altogether.

• Master OOP: Study and apply object-oriented programming principles with high proficiency. OOP is the key to the development of most modern systems, especially in graphical user interfaces and event handling.

By embracing these points and becoming fluent in reading and writing C++ code, you'll maintain your passion for the language and create some of the most powerful and efficient software.

Onward, C++ programmers!