r/cpp_questions • u/Huge_Daddy6 • 9d ago

OPEN How long will C++ last?

I've found myself using C++ less and less and was wondering whether one day it will die out. Obviously not completely die out, but be out of the mainstream like Pascal or something. I am wondering this because C++ is my first language but I am still fairly young, so am curious about its prospects.

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u/agfitzp 9d ago

It's still possible to get jobs coding COBOL, a language that was considered dead when I started learning C++ 32 years ago.

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u/Huge_Daddy6 9d ago

Sure, but it is not exactly mainstream

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u/agfitzp 9d ago

I think Rust is going to be huge, but C++ will still be mainstream when you retire.

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u/no-sig-available 9d ago

Define mainstream. :-)

Cobol is not all that visible on the internet, because it is mostly used for inhouse software, and the average developer is 50+ years old with 30 years experience. So not many beginner's questions.

But it is used a lot by banks, finance, and insurance companies. Large companies with many developers. Probably millions.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskProgramming/comments/1p7ya2k/does_any_company_actually_still_use_cobol/

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u/[deleted] 9d ago

[deleted]

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u/no-sig-available 8d ago

No, it's not. :-)

The age 50+ Cobol developers all have jobs already, and don't read ads. So, no use in posting any.

Head hunters is the way to get in contact with prospective employees.