C++ is a high-performance, general-purpose programming language that extends the C programming language by adding object-oriented features, such as classes and inheritance. It is widely used for system software, game development, real-time applications, and performance-critical tasks due to its ability to directly manipulate hardware and memory. C++ offers features like object-oriented programming, templates, and exception handling, making it both powerful and flexible. It allows developers to write efficient code with fine-grained control over system resources, making it a popular choice for complex software that requires high performance.