(C++ FAQ) 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 functions' 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