Why the C programming language still rules

Although C++ is still similar to C in its syntax and approach, it provides a lot of really useful features that are not natively available in C: namespaces, templates, exceptions, automatic memory management, etc. Projects that require the highest Productivity tools like databases and machine learning systems are often written in C++, using these features to squeeze every drop of performance out of the system.

Moreover, C++ continues to expand much more aggressively than C. C++23 offers even more features, including modules, coroutines, and a modular standard library for faster compilation. In contrast, the latest version of the C standard, S23adds little and focuses on maintaining backwards compatibility.

The fact is that all the advantages of C++ can also be disadvantages. Big ones. The more C++ features you use, the more complexity you introduce and the harder it becomes to control the results. Developers who limit themselves to a subset of C++ can avoid many of the worst pitfalls. But some stores want to protect themselves from this complexity altogether. For example, the Linux kernel team avoids C++, and although the team I’m looking at Rast As a language for future kernel additions, most Linux will continue to be written in C.