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What is the difference between C and C++?

C and C++ are both general-purpose programming languages but differ in several key aspects:

  1. Paradigm: C is a procedural programming language, focusing on functions and sequences of actions to perform. C++, on the other hand, supports multiple programming paradigms including procedural, object-oriented, and generic programming.

  2. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): C++ supports OOP features such as classes, objects, inheritance, polymorphism, and encapsulation, which allow for more modular and reusable code. C does not support these OOP features natively.

  3. Standard Template Library (STL): C++ includes the STL, a collection of template classes and functions for various data structures and algorithms, which simplifies complex tasks. C does not have an equivalent to the STL.

  4. Exception Handling: C++ provides a built-in mechanism for exception handling, which allows for more robust error management in programs. C relies on error codes and manual checks for error handling.

  5. Namespaces: C++ introduces namespaces, which help avoid naming conflicts by allowing you to group related code under a specific namespace. C does not support namespaces.

  6. Constructors and Destructors: C++ supports constructors and destructors, special member functions that are automatically called when an object is created or destroyed, facilitating resource management. C does not have constructors or destructors.

Example:
In C++, you might define a class to represent a rectangle:

class Rectangle {
public:
    int width, height;
    Rectangle(int w, int h) : width(w), height(h) {}
    int area() { return width * height; }
};

In C, you would use structs and functions separately:

typedef struct {
    int width, height;
} Rectangle;

int rectangle_area(Rectangle r) {
    return r.width * r.height;
}

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