what is the difference in printf and cout?
what is the difference in printf(" ");
and
cout << " ";
and why would you use one over the other
and
cout << " ";
and why would you use one over the other
Last edited on
printf() is a leftover from C. ;)
std::cout is the C++ version, and I'd suggest using std::cout because among other reasons, you can overload the << operator to better support new types.
-Albatross
std::cout is the C++ version, and I'd suggest using std::cout because among other reasons, you can overload the << operator to better support new types.
-Albatross
cout is more verbose (that can be good or bad, depending on who you ask)
cout is typesafe, printf isn't
cout works with std::strings, printf doesn't directly (you have to c_str your strings)
cout isn't threadsafe. I'm not sure if printf is, but cout certainly isn't.
cout is typesafe, printf isn't
cout works with std::strings, printf doesn't directly (you have to c_str your strings)
cout isn't threadsafe. I'm not sure if printf is, but cout certainly isn't.
I won't deny that those classes are perhaps overly complex. However, his rant about type-safety is unfounded, in my opinion, especially if you're just beginning programming with types.
-Albatross
-Albatross
Wow. That link's "why the FAQ is wrong" section is horrible. Clearly, that writing is biased and its analysis is incomplete. A few thoughts:
Finding errors at compile time, rather than at runtime, is money.
Consider containers of hetergenous, user-defined types and how they would be printed using printf.
Finding errors at compile time, rather than at runtime, is money.
Consider containers of hetergenous, user-defined types and how they would be printed using printf.
I thought printf was an amazing function and it has a lot to do with the shell... but truth be told cout totally trumps printf simply because printf is just more complicated to use. cout was designed better.
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