Article by Ayman Alheraki on January 11 2026 10:36 AM
For over 30 years, C++ has been the backbone of high-performance software, excelling in game development, embedded systems, financial applications, and advanced AI systems. However, today we see an unfair wave of criticism against C++ from individuals who either have not explored its modern advancements or deliberately ignore the transformations it has undergone since Modern C++ began in 2011.
Criticizing C++ based on issues that existed before 2011 is unfair to a language that has undergone significant improvements through C++11, C++14, C++17, C++20, and C++23, making it safer, more flexible, and more efficient. Some of these enhancements include:
Modern Memory Management: Eliminating memory leaks with smart pointers like std::unique_ptr and std::shared_ptr.
Concepts and Improved Generic Programming: Making code clearer, more maintainable, and easier to debug.
Advanced Concurrency Support: Introducing std::thread, std::async, and safer multithreading capabilities.
Enhanced Templates and Metaprogramming: Improving SFINAE and introducing new features that reduce code complexity while improving efficiency.
A Stronger STL (Standard Library): Adding more powerful containers and algorithms to make development easier and more productive.
New languages like Rust and Go have introduced excellent solutions for specific problems, but they are still in their maturity phase.
Rust: While it offers strong memory safety guarantees, it lacks the flexibility and ecosystem breadth that C++ provides for large-scale projects.
Go: It performs well in networking and cloud applications but does not fully replace C++ in fields that demand extreme efficiency.
Despite these innovations, C++ remains the most efficient language for domains such as game development, embedded systems, AI, graphics programming, and operating systems. It is unfair to compare C++, with its decades of industry dominance and deep optimization, to newer languages that have yet to achieve the same level of adoption or industry support.
Despite its advancements, C++ is still considered more complex than other languages, primarily due to the lack of a standardized package manager like those in Rust, Go, and Zig. Although solutions like Conan and Vcpkg exist, they have not yet reached the simplicity and power of modern package managers. This makes dependency management more challenging, especially for beginners or non-expert developers.
Some critics attack C++ for outdated reasons, such as complexity or memory management issues, without acknowledging the massive improvements introduced in Modern C++. This is akin to criticizing modern cars based on the problems of models from decades ago!
Not everyone has to use C++, but it is only fair to recognize that it is no longer the language it was before 2011. Today, it stands as one of the most powerful and continuously evolving programming languages. Criticism should be based on accurate and up-to-date information, not on outdated misconceptions.
If one seeks fairness, they should evaluate C++ as it is today, not as it was in the past.