C is a general purpose programming language. C is used for many different types of software, but it is particularly popular for system software, such as operating systems, device drivers and telecommunications applications. C is widely used because it runs very fast. It can also access a computer system's low level functions; this means it is closer to the hardware than some other programming languages. C has become an official standard of the American National Standards Institute, or ANSI. Many other programming languages borrow syntax from C.

C++ is a high-level programming language that builds on its predecessor C by adding object-oriented features to it. C++ is very versatile and can be used for many different applications. C++ is also an official ANSI standard. C++ is used widely for applications that rely more heavily on a graphical user interface, or GUI. For example, many utility programs and device drivers are written in C, while applications software with many user dialogs are written in C++. The name C++ represents the evolution of the C language because the two plus symbols represent the increment operator in C.