Do you know that? Yet another 10 interesting facts about C++ that you might not know

C++ has been around for about 37 years now, and there are many reasons behind its longevity - it is reliable, mature, and versatile. Thanks to its high speed and seamless performance, C++ continues to be at the core of many a programming curriculum and boasts a rich and elaborate ecosystem. This is why C++ development is also one of the most demanded services offered by software outsourcing companies. 

Here we have gathered a list of interesting facts about C++ to enrich your knowledge of this fundamental programming language to show you that it is as complex as it is relevant. 

1. Much of the F-35's software was developed in C and C++ programming languages; millions of lines of code. The F-35 is the world’s most advanced stealth multirole combat aircraft and C++ plays a major role in its avionics software. 

2. Since C/C++ projects tend to be quite complex, the design and architecture of the software requires careful planning, preferably at the beginning of the development process. This is why teams with little Agile experience and with lack of long-term planning and focus may end up causing the project to fail. An example of this was the development of F-35 avionics software, where an inaptly chosen project management methodology ended up causing significant problems down the line.

3. C/C++ is extensively used by NASA. This language is the most flexible and efficient choice when it comes to flight software. Those who think that C/C++ is becoming an “artifact” language only do so because of tunnel vision and a career surrounded by the ecosystem of web-based applications. 

4. Gaming, gaming, and again gaming… The most advanced computer game engines are developed in C/C++ and Assembly. Who doesn’t remember the Quake game engine? The legendary Quake game with its innovative solutions in 3D graphics. And this is only one example of such kind. 

5. YouTube… everybody loves it.. but how many of you know that a big part of its “backend” (don’t use this word among C++ coders :) ) is written in C++? 

6. Microsoft Office is used on a daily basis on hundreds of millions of computers around the world, but does anyone suspect that it is written in C++? Only a small percentage of users know that one of the most popular desktop software packages ever is written in C++ (and some people still claim that C++ is dying).

7. The desktop operating systems that you use daily on your computers (e.g., Windows, Linux, MacOS) are mainly written in C/C++ and Assembly. The popular JavaScript and its alternatives are nowhere to be seen. 

8. MySQL, one of the world’s most popular database software solutions that is used widely in many real-world applications, is written in C++. Web app developers in general can safely assume that many of the components of web development have C/C++ in their core.

9. Now a question: in what language is GCC (GNU Compiler Collection, the compilers for C/C++) written? That’s right, GCC is also written in C/C++. It may sound like a recursion but the truth is that C/C++ compilers are written in C/C++.

10. And, finally, the pinnacle of the list - AI/ML. You may say “But AI applications are written in Python.” Here is where the secret lies - the high-end AI/ML libraries are written in C/C++: TensorFlow, Caffe, CNTK, mlpack, you name it. You just use the Python bindings in order to call the functions from those libraries and use them in your code.