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C++ vs GNU Bash: What are the differences?
Introduction
C++ and GNU Bash are both popular programming languages used for different purposes. While C++ is primarily used for system-level programming and application development, GNU Bash is a command language interpreter used for executing commands and scripts. Here are the key differences between C++ and GNU Bash.
Syntax and Programming Paradigm: C++ is a statically-typed, compiled language that follows an object-oriented programming paradigm, allowing developers to define classes and objects. On the other hand, GNU Bash is an interpreted, dynamically-typed language that follows a procedural programming paradigm, focusing on executing commands and scripts in a shell environment.
Usage and Application: C++ is commonly used for developing applications, software libraries, and systems programming tasks due to its level of control and efficiency. GNU Bash, being a command language interpreter, is primarily used for automating tasks, writing scripts, and executing commands in a shell environment.
Variables and Data Types: C++ has a wide range of built-in data types, including integers, floating-point numbers, characters, booleans, arrays, and user-defined types. Variables in C++ need to be explicitly declared and their data types specified. In GNU Bash, variables are untyped and do not require explicit declaration, making them more flexible. However, they are treated as strings by default, although they can store integer values as well.
Flow Control: C++ provides various flow control structures like loops (for, while, do-while), conditional statements (if-else, switch), and support for exceptions. These structures allow developers to control program flow and handle exceptional cases efficiently. GNU Bash also supports similar flow control structures, but they are more limited in functionality compared to C++, focusing primarily on executing commands conditionally or repeatedly.
Memory Management: In C++, developers have direct control over memory management, allowing them to allocate and deallocate memory dynamically using features like pointers and memory allocation functions (malloc, free, new, delete). However, this also introduces the risk of memory leaks and segmentation faults if not managed carefully. On the other hand, GNU Bash abstracts memory management from developers, automatically allocating and deallocating memory as required, thus reducing the risk of memory-related issues.
Libraries and Standard Functions: C++ comes with a rich set of libraries and standard functions that provide various functionalities, such as string manipulation, input/output operations, mathematical calculations, and more. These libraries can be used to simplify development and enhance code reuse. GNU Bash, being primarily a shell interpreter, provides a limited set of built-in functions for basic operations like file handling, string manipulation, and command execution. However, it relies more on external commands and utilities to extend its functionality.
In summary, C++ is a compiled, statically-typed language primarily used for system-level programming and application development, while GNU Bash is an interpreted, dynamically-typed language used for automating tasks and executing commands. C++ offers more control, extensive libraries, and advanced memory management, whereas GNU Bash focuses on simplicity, flexibility, and convenience for shell scripting.
As a personal research project I wanted to add post-quantum crypto KEM (key encapsulation) algorithms and new symmetric crypto session algorithms to openssh. I found the openssh code and its channel/context management extremely complex.
Concurrently, I was learning Go. It occurred to me that Go's excellent standard library, including crypto libraries, plus its much safer memory model and string/buffer handling would be better suited to a secure remote shell solution. So I started from scratch, writing a clean-room Go-based solution, without regard for ssh compatibility. Interactive and token-based login, secure copy and tunnels.
Of course, it needs a proper security audit for side channel attacks, protocol vulnerabilities and so on -- but I was impressed by how much simpler a client-server application with crypto and complex terminal handling was in Go.
$ sloc openssh-portable
Languages Files Code Comment Blank Total CodeLns
Total 502 112982 14327 15705 143014 100.0%
C 389 105938 13349 14416 133703 93.5%
Shell 92 6118 937 1129 8184 5.7%
Make 16 468 37 131 636 0.4%
AWK 1 363 0 7 370 0.3%
C++ 3 79 4 18 101 0.1%
Conf 1 16 0 4 20 0.0%
$ sloc xs
Languages Files Code Comment Blank Total CodeLns
Total 34 3658 1231 655 5544 100.0%
Go 19 3230 1199 507 4936 89.0%
Markdown 2 181 0 76 257 4.6%
Make 7 148 4 50 202 3.6%
YAML 1 39 0 5 44 0.8%
Text 1 30 0 7 37 0.7%
Modula 1 16 0 2 18 0.3%
Shell 3 14 28 8 50 0.9%
If you have a file (demo.txt) that has 3 columns:
Column-1 Column-2 Column-3
Row-1a Row-2a Row-3a
Row-1b Row-2b Row-3b
Row-1c Row-2c Row-3c
Row-1d Row-2d Row-3d
Row-1e Row-2e Row-3e
and you want to only view the first column of the file in your CLI, run the following:
awk {'print $1'} demo.txt
Column-1
Row-1a
Row-1b
Row-1c
Row-1d
Row-1e
If you want to print the second column of demo.txt, just replace $1 with $2
Pros of C++
- Performance203
- Control over memory allocation108
- Cross-platform99
- Fast98
- Object oriented85
- Industry standard59
- Smart pointers48
- Templates38
- Gui toolkits17
- Raii17
- Flexibility14
- Generic programming14
- Control14
- Metaprogramming12
- Hardcore10
- Full-fledged containers/collections API5
- Many large libraries5
- Simple5
- Large number of Libraries4
- Performant multi-paradigm language4
- Way too complicated3
- Close to Reality1
- Plenty of useful features1
Pros of GNU Bash
- Customizable3
- Powerful scripting language3
- Widely adopted2
- Cross platform0
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Cons of C++
- Slow compilation8
- Unsafe8
- Over-complicated6
- Fragile ABI6
- No standard/mainstream dependency management5
- Templates mess with compilation units4
- Too low level for most tasks3
- Compile time features are a mess1
- Template metaprogramming is insane1
- Segfaults1
- Unreal engine1
Cons of GNU Bash
- Too Slow1
