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(C++) Should I learn C before learning C++?

 

Both Bjarne Stroustrup and C++ FAQ LITE believe it is easier to directly start learning C++.

 

Reasons are:

 

  • C++ is safer [1], e.g. it has increased type safety, which makes the use of Hungarian notation unnesessary
  • C++ is more expressive [1]. This is due to that C++ enables Object Oriented Programming
  • C++ reduces need to focus on low-level techniques as there are better libraries [1] (the STL). For example, using a std::vector saves you a lot of time managing and writing functions for arrays
  • C uses malloc instead of new, the latter being safer [3]
  • C uses printf instead of cout, the latter being safer [3]
  • C unnecessary uses type-dependent switch statements, where C++ can solve these using polymorphism [3]
  • C++ has error-code exception handling, as it supports the keywords try and catch [3]
  • C++ makes #define macros unnecessary, using template or inline functions [3]
  • C++ can overload functions with the same name, if the compiler can distinguish them from the function its arguments

 

After having learned the common subset of C and C++, it is easier to find out the trickier parts of C [1,2]. See C++ keywords for a list of C++ keywords.

 

 

 

 

 

References

 

  1. Bjarne Stroustrup. The C++ Programming Language (3rd edition). ISBN: 0-201-88954-4, chapter 1.2: 'Learning C++'
  2. http://new-brunswick.net/workshop/c++/faq/how-to-learn-cpp.html, topic [28.2]
  3. http://www.research.att.com/\~bs/bs\_faq.html\#prerequisite