C++ 98 Standard

Last Updated : 21 Aug, 2024

C++ 98, officially known as ISO/IEC 14882:1998, was the first international standard for the C++ programming language, published in 1998. This version standardized features that were already widely used in the C++ community and also introduced some new features that laid the foundation for future advancements in the language. Before C++ 98, C++ was largely guided by individual compiler implementations, leading to inconsistencies. The C++ 98 standard brought stability and a unified direction for the language, which significantly influenced its growth and adoption.

In this article, we will discuss the key features and improvements introduced in C++ 98, focusing on language enhancements, standard library additions, and deprecated features.

Key Features and Improvements in the C++ 98 Standard

C++ 98 introduced several features that solidified C++ as a powerful and versatile programming language. Below are the key features and improvements brought by C++ 98:

Feature	Description	Syntax
Templates	C++ 98 standardized the use of templates, allowing the creation of generic functions and classes. This made it possible to write code that works with any data type.	template <typename T> T add(T a, T b) { return a + b; }
Exceptions	Exception handling was standardized in C++ 98, providing a structured way to handle errors and exceptional conditions in programs.	try { // code } catch (exception& e) { // handle error }
Namespaces	C++ 98 introduced namespaces to avoid name conflicts by grouping entities like classes, objects, and functions under a specific name.	namespace MyNamespace { int value; }
The bool Type	C++ 98 introduced the bool data type, along with the true and false keywords, for representing boolean values.	bool flag = true;
The typename Keyword	The typename keyword was introduced to disambiguate dependent names in templates, improving readability and reducing errors.	typename T::iterator it;
The explicit Keyword	C++ 98 introduced the explicit keyword to prevent implicit type conversions, which can lead to subtle bugs.	explicit MyClass(int value);
Member Function 'const'ness	C++ 98 allowed member functions to be declared as const, ensuring that they do not modify the object on which they are called.	int getValue() const { return value; }
Member Templates	C++ 98 introduced the ability to define templates within class definitions, allowing for more flexible and reusable code.	template <typename T> class MyClass { /.../ };
Template Specialization	Allows the creation of template specializations for specific types, enabling more efficient or specialized implementations.	template<> class MyClass<int> { /.../ };
Multiple Inheritance and Virtual Functions	C++ 98 standardized the behavior of multiple inheritance and virtual functions, ensuring consistency across compilers.	class Derived : public Base1, public Base2 { };
The mutable Keyword	Allows modification of class members even if the containing object is const, providing more flexibility in certain designs.	mutable int counter;
Dynamic Memory Management	C++ 98 standardized the new and delete operators to handle heap memory allocation and deallocation consistently.	int* p = new int(5); delete p;

Standard Library Features in C++ 98

C++ 98 also introduced a robust standard library, providing essential components that are still widely used in modern C++ programming.

Standard Template Library (STL): The C++ 98 standard library included the STL, which provided a set of common data structures and algorithms, including vector, list, map, set, and more.
Input/Output Streams: C++ 98 standardized the I/O stream library, which includes iostream for console I/O and fstream for file I/O, among others.
String Class: The std::string class was introduced, providing a more robust and flexible way to handle strings compared to C-style strings.
Complex Numbers: C++ 98 included a complex number library, std::complex, enabling operations on complex numbers.

Deprecated Features in the C++ 98 Standard

While C++ 98 introduced many new features, it also marked the beginning of deprecating some older practices to encourage better programming techniques.

Implicit Int: Implicit int declarations were deprecated, requiring explicit type declarations to avoid ambiguity.
Function-Level const: Some older practices involving function-level const were deprecated in favor of more consistent usage.

Compiler Support and Compatibility

C++ 98's features were widely adopted by major compilers that lead to its broad acceptance and integration into software development.

GCC (GNU Compiler Collection)

GCC 2.95 and later versions provided full support for C++ 98 features. The standard can be enabled using

g++ -std=c++98 main.cpp -o main

Clang

Clang also offered full support for C++ 98, maintaining compatibility with its modern versions.

MSVC (Microsoft Visual C++)

Microsoft Visual C++ integrated C++ 98 features early, making it a reliable choice for C++ development on Windows.

Conclusion

C++ 98 has established many of the core features and libraries still fundamental to C++ programming today. It provided the foundation for modern C++ development, introducing key features like templates, exception handling, and the Standard Template Library (STL). As the first standardized version of C++, It set the base for the language's evolution, influencing subsequent standards and solidifying C++'s role in systems and application development.

ANSI C - C89 Standard

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