A history of C++

Abstract

This paper outlines the history of the C++ programming language. The emphasis is on the ideas, constraints, and people that shaped the language, rather than the minuitiae of language features. Key design decisions relating to language features are discussed, but the focus is on the overall design goals and practical constraints. The evolution of C++ is traced from C with Classes to the current ANSI and ISO standards work and the explosion of use, interest, commercial activity, compilers, tools, environments, and libraries.