Bjarne Stroustrup

Computer Science Danish 1950 360 quotes

Creator of the C++ programming language.

Most quoted

"There are two ways of constructing a software design: One way is to make it so simple that there are obviously no deficiencies, and the other way is to make it so complicated that there are no obvious deficiencies."

— from Often attributed, widely circulated

"The problem with C is that it's too easy to shoot yourself in the foot. The problem with C++ is that it gives you a loaded gun, and then tells you to go ahead and shoot yourself in the foot, but with style."

— from Humorous anecdote (often attributed, not a private letter)

"C++ is a general-purpose programming language with a bias towards systems programming that supports efficient low-level computation, data abstraction, object-oriented programming, and generic programming."

— from The C++ Programming Language (2nd Edition), 1991

All quotes by Bjarne Stroustrup (360)

The best way to learn C++ is to read good C++ code.

Various talks and interviews

C++ is a language that empowers programmers to build complex systems.

Various talks and interviews

C++ is a language that is designed for efficiency and performance.

The Design and Evolution of C++

The only way to make progress is to challenge the status quo.

Various talks and interviews

C++ is a language that allows you to build robust and reliable software.

Various talks and interviews

The most important thing in programming is to have fun.

Various talks and interviews

C++ is a language that is used by millions of programmers around the world.

Various talks and interviews

The best way to solve a problem is to understand it thoroughly.

Various talks and interviews

C++ is a language that is constantly being improved and refined.

Various talks and interviews

The most important thing in software development is to deliver value to the user.

Various talks and interviews

C++ is a language that is designed for long-term use and maintenance.

The Design and Evolution of C++

The only way to write good code is to write code that is easy to read and understand.

Various talks and interviews

C++ is a language that is used in a wide variety of domains, from finance to gaming.

Various talks and interviews

The most important thing in programming is to be able to debug your code effectively.

Various talks and interviews

C++ is a language that is designed to be efficient, flexible, and powerful.

The C++ Programming Language

The only way to truly master a language is to understand its underlying principles.

Various talks and interviews

C makes it easy to shoot yourself in the foot; C++ makes it harder, but when you do it blows your whole leg off.

Various attributions

Within C++, there is a much smaller and cleaner language struggling to get out.

The Design and Evolution of C++

Proof by analogy is fraud.

Various speeches

C++ is designed to allow you to express ideas, but if you don't have ideas or don't have any clue about how to express them, C++ doesn't offer much help.

The C++ Programming Language