1.1. Overview of C++

C++ was originally written as an extension of C by means of a series of preprocessor macros and known as C with Classes.^[1] After many years of evolution and refinement, it now extends C by adding several higher-level features such as strong typing, data abstraction, references, operator and function overloading, and considerable support for object-oriented programming.

^[1] http://www.research.att.com/~bs/bs_faq.html#invention

C++ retains the key features that have made C such a popular and successful language: speed, efficiency, and a wide range of expressiveness that enables programming at many levels, from the lowest level (such as direct operating system calls or bitwise operations) to the highest level (such as manipulating containers of large complex objects).