October 1985
First commercial C++ compiler
Bjarne Stroustrup shipped Cfront 1.0 in October 1985 — the first commercial C++ compiler translating C++ to C, complementing the language's earlier public definition.
What it was for
C++ adds classes and abstraction on top of C while keeping performance. Used for browsers (ChromeGoogle's web browser — built on Chromium and the most widely used browser worldwide.), game engines (Unreal), databases, trading systems, and large desktop apps. If you need C speed with OOPObject-oriented programming — organizing code around objects that combine data and behavior., teams still reach for C++.
Why it's here
C++ brought object-oriented and systems abstractions to the C ecosystem without breaking its performance model.
Why it mattered
Commercial availability turned 'C with Classes' into a language teams could adopt on real projects.
What it solved
SimulaAn early language that introduced objects and classes — a direct ancestor of object-oriented programming.-style OOPObject-oriented programming — organizing code around objects that combine data and behavior. existed, but systems programmers needed OOPObject-oriented programming — organizing code around objects that combine data and behavior. that compiled down to efficient C.
Media
- ImageC++
Jeremy Kratz, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Related
- C++ gains templatesOctober 1991
- C++98 standardizedSeptember 1, 1998