C++ is the programming language Bjarne Stroustrup created at Bell Labs, initially calling it “C with Classes.”
Stroustrup began developing the language in 1979 while working at Bell Labs. He wanted to combine C’s efficiency and portability with Simula’s support for classes and object-oriented programming. The project was renamed C++ in 1983, using C’s increment operator to suggest an evolution of C.
C++ added classes, virtual functions, operator overloading, references, templates, and other facilities over time. Its design remained closely connected to C, but C++ became a distinct standardized language rather than merely a dialect.
The first edition of The C++ Programming Language appeared in 1985. C++ is sometimes treated as synonymous with object-oriented programming, but it also supports procedural, generic, and functional styles. Modern C++ standards have added substantial library and language features beyond its original design.