FAQ 36.10 Which is more flexible: iostream or stdio.h ?

FAQ 36.10 Which is more flexible: <iostream> or <stdio.h>?

<iostream> is more flexible than <stdio.h> since <iostream> separates the code that formats an object from the code that performs I/O of the character stream produced or consumed by formatting. This separation allows replacement of the underlying I/O mechanisms without the need to rewrite the formatting code.

For example, <iostream> uses real classes, hence users can create derived classes. User-defined types can thus look and act like streams but don't necessarily have to use the same underlying I/O mechanisms. The formatting code written for both user-defined and built-in types works correctly with these new classes.