Google has revealed more on Carbon, a new programming language that the company believes could be the successor to C++.
Programming languages are constantly improving and developing, and have been replaced in recent years with models that are even easier to use. Apple’s own Swift language has opened up several possibilities to the less experienced that its predecessor, Objective-C, for example.
Many have dubbed Rust a C++ successor, however speaking at a recent event, Google Principal Software Engineer Chandler Carruth explained how the programming language that was initially a Mozilla product doesn’t have the same “bi-directional interoperability” as other tools, which introduces a type of ‘language barrier’ when ‘translating’ between different programming language.
Move from C++ to Carbon
As such, the newly announced Carbon should be interoperable with the popular C++ code, however for users looking to make the full switch, the migration should be fairly easy.
For those unsure about a full changeover, Carruth delved into more detail about some of the reasons why Carbon should be considered a powerful successor to the C++ language, including simpler grammar and smoother API imports.
There are further benefits that extend beyond Carbon’s language, including ethical motives like the accessibility and inclusivity of the project’s culture.
The Carbon family is largely made up of Google employees, but not exclusively so. Having piggybacked on the successes of the tech giant, the Carbon team says that it need to be “an independent and community drive project” for it to be successful.
Currently, the Carbon programming language is just an experiment. Its source code can be downloaded for you to try already, or you can choose to experiment with it from inside your browser with the Compiler Explorer web app.
Via 9to5Google (opens in new tab)
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