Difference between C++ and Object Pascal

Two other object-oriented programming languages, C++ and Object Pascal, also had some variation in their origin, syntax, design philosophy, and application area. Therefore, knowledge about the differences between these two programming languages will help when a user wants to understand which would be the aptest choice for his needs. This article will cover major differences between these two programming languages, such as syntax, memory management, performance, ease of use, community support, and typical use cases.

1. Origin and History

C++:

C++ was developed at Bell Labs by Bjarne Stroustrup in 1979 as an extension of the C programming language. Object-oriented programming features were added without sacrificing source compatibility with C and allowed much more structured program development without giving up direct access to hardware offered by assembly languages and C. In the final result, C++ has matured into being one of the world's most utilized programming languages, with its software power from operating systems and game engines.

Object Pascal:

On the other hand, Object Pascal is developed from Pascal, which was actually created by Niklaus Wirth back in the early 1970s, more in the interest of being a teaching tool aimed at good programming practice rather than as a programming language. After that, Object Pascal evolved later as an extension of Pascal to incorporate object-oriented programming as C++ evolved from C. Object Pascal is best known in relation to the Delphi environment, which is a product of Borland and a very popular IDE for writing Object Pascal code. Delphi remains one of the most used environments for writing Object Pascal code.

1. Origin and History

C++:

The C++ syntax is based on the language C, but it might be more complex for students who begin with a first programming course. It employs curly braces {} to delimit code blocks, semicolons to terminate statements, and pointers for direct low-level memory manipulation. We can say that C++ is particularly infamous for having an extremely steep learning curve due to some of the complexities of its syntax, such as operator overloading, templates, and complex structures of inheritance. For example:

Output:

Object Pascal:

On the other hand, Object Pascal relies on a syntax based on Pascal that really emphasizes clarity and simplicity. Curly braces do not mark off code blocks because they do in Object Pascal but instead are used at the beginning and end. The statements end with semicolons, just like C++. However, object Pascal has always been viewed as much easier for new programmers to pick up because they relied on descriptive words such as procedure, function, and unit. Here is an example of Object Pascal code:

Output:

3. Object-Oriented Features

Even though C++ and Object Pascal are capable of object-oriented programming, they differ in how they do this.

C++:

Features of an object-oriented language in C++ are basically defined by the influence of C. Classes and objects are defined using a class keyword, and inheritance and polymorphism support are done using virtual functions and method overriding. C++ supports multiple inheritance. Multiple classes can be inherited by one class, which leaves complexity and ambiguity behind. Another strong feature of C++ lies in its operator overloading, function overloading, and templates. It confers much versatility but at a cost that can confound the source code.

Object Pascal:

Object Pascal also features classes, inheritance, and polymorphism, but multiple inheritance is prohibited. Multiple inheritance is instead emulated with the help of interfaces. The implementation of object-oriented principles in Object Pascal is often considered simpler and more efficient than similar constructs in C++. While it lacks some of the advanced features of C++, such as operator overloading, and it has balanced this out by offering a clearer and more readable structure for developers, where the importance is on clarity rather than usability.

4. Memory Management

C++:

Memory management is another primary aspect of programming in C++. C++ provides both automatic and manual memory management. In the latter case, a developer can allocate and deallocate memory dynamically in run time using new and delete operator. However, improper memory management causes some commonly occurring problems, such as memory leaks and dangling pointers. Modern standards of C++ (C++11 onwards) introduced smart pointers for smarter memory management. Smart pointers better manage memory by automatically deallocating the memory once it is no longer in use.

However, in many cases, including most noticeably through Delphi's runtime environment, Object Pascal does provide automatic memory management. In terms of the way the objects are created with Create and destroyed with Free, the language generally makes it somewhat easier to avoid major pitfalls with common mistakes in using memory. The C++ standard does not provide the same level of control over memory as it does with Object Pascal, Object Pascal has made most memory management easier for most applications, which is a plus if the developers are more interested in business logic than low-level programming.

5. Performance

C++:

This language is supposed to be the fastest because it is so close to the hardware and provides low-level control over memory and processor instructions. Applications that relate to any of the factors below are most often required to use C++ for game development, real-time simulations, operating systems, and embedded systems.

Object Pascal:

Object Pascal has good performance, especially in environments, such as Delphi, where the compiler produces very well optimized code, but it usually doesn't match the raw performance of C++ in high-demand scenarios. Object Pascal is used in application development, where performance is important but not as critical as in system-level programming. It shines bright in the development of desktop applications, database applications, and business software, where ease of development and maintainability often take precedence over performance.

6. Ecosystem and Libraries

C++:

C++ has an impressive arsenal of libraries, frameworks, and tools. On the one hand, a rich STL provides excellent data structures and algorithms; on the other, thousands of third-party libraries exist, ranging from graphics programming (OpenGL, DirectX, etc.) to network programming (Boost, Asio, etc.). Development environments like Microsoft Visual Studio, Clang, and GCC support C++ and hundreds of thousands of developers host it.

Object Pascal:

A good ecosystem exists in Object Pascal, mostly via Delphi, though nowhere near the dimensions that have been created for C++. Delphi offers a superset of components and libraries to create GUI applications, database applications, etc. Though Object Pascal is nowhere as big in community size as C++, it is still significantly used by developers who may work within Delphi or Lazarus, an open-source IDE for Object Pascal. Two frameworks for Delphi are VCL (Visual Component Library) and FMX (FireMonkey), which support cross-platform application development, though they are not that good for such things as low-level programming in comparison with C++.

7. Use Cases

C++:

C++ applications are designed in a wide range of areas, such as system programming, game development, embedded systems, and high-performance applications. Due to its versatility and high performance, it is applicable to almost any type of software development.

Object Pascal:

Object Pascal is more commonly used for desktop applications, especially with Delphi. It is one of the best tools for business and database applications where rapid development and ease of maintenance are priorities. It has fewer uses in performance-critical applications, but it is still a valid option for certain types of applications.