iostream vs. iostream.h: Which Header Should You Use in Modern C ?

iostream vs. iostream.h in C : An Overview

In the realm of C input and output operations, one may encounter the terms iostream and iostream.h. To delineate their differences clearly, let us delve into their respective natures and usage.

iostream: A Standard Header

iostream is a standard header file in modern C . It contains declarations for input and output stream classes and objects. These classes provide a user-friendly and efficient way to perform file operations and standard input/output (I/O). By including the iostream header, developers gain access to various functions, such as cin for input and cout for output.

iostream.h: A Legacy Header

iostream.h, on the other hand, is an obsolete header file that was used in earlier versions of C . It is no longer part of the C standard and is considered deprecated. It serves the same purpose as iostream, providing input and output stream declarations. However, its use is discouraged due to its lack of compatibility with modern C compilers.

Key Distinction

The crucial difference between iostream and iostream.h lies in their status within the C standard. iostream is an integral part of the C standard and is supported by all compliant compilers. iostream.h, however, is deprecated and may not be recognized by modern compilers.

Recommendation

In contemporary C programming, it is strongly recommended to use iostream for input and output operations. It is the standard-compliant and forward-compatible header file. Including iostream.h is discouraged as it may lead to portability issues and potentially undefined behavior.

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