What is C++++? A programming language?
IONOS editorial team2 mins
The term C++++ is the reason why the C# programming language has such a strange name. Behind this term is not a specific language as you might think. Instead, the name provides information on the development of C#.
Where does the term C++++ come from?
Developers have been working with the C programming language since 1972. In 1979, the C++ extension was created. A good way to explain the new name is that the ++ character belongs to the C and C++ operators. This enables an incremental increase to be produced and “+1” is calculated with each run. So if you are familiar with C, you will understand that C++ is an extension of C. By the way, ++ can also be found in Java operators.
If you now want to indicate a new extension, you could simply add two plus signs to the end even though this makes no sense from a software programming point of view. This could also be the reason that the term C++++ has perhaps not become generally accepted and instead C# is used. But with a little imagination, C++++ can be found hidden within C#. If the plus signs are arranged in a square, this results in a sharp sign.
The popular programming language C# has been around since 2001. The programming language was originally supposed to be called Cool as an acronym for “C like Object Oriented Language”. As an object-oriented programming language, C# is not only related to C and C++, but also has strong similarities with Java.
Why isn’t the name C++++ used?
As explained, a double increment with four plus signs does not make sense from a developer’s point of view. For this reason alone, the name C++++ was never really considered. The term C# is smarter because it can be read in several ways. C# is not pronounced “C hash”, as you might think, but rather “C sharp”, which in musical terms signifies that a musical note should be a semitone higher. With this in mind, the sign could symbolize a slightly enhanced version of C — an extension of the original language.
C++++ is a rarely used term for C#. The language belongs — like C++ — to the most popular internet programming languages. When it comes to programming paradigms C# belongs to imperative programming, just like C, C++ and Java.
