What is the difference between a program and a C++ program

[AlisdairM]

Typically we refer to a program or the properties of a program, but in some places we refer to C++ programs and their properties. When do we choose to qualify "program" as "C++ program"? Is this documented? Do we know whether that rule has been applied consistently?

AFAICT, the use of "C++ Program" occurs mostly when dealing with abstract machine notion of threads and concurrency; "C++ program" is used fairly consistently through the library clauses; and "C++ program" is used widely in compatibility Annex C.

If we are to use the compound-noun more consistently, should we give it a macro the would help writing tools and text searches to distinguish correct uses of "program" distinct from the compound "C++ program"?

[jwakely]

I don't think there's any intended difference in meaning.

[eisenwave]

We have a definition of "program" in https://eel.is/c++draft/basic.link#def:program whereas "C++ program" seems to be an unnecessary decoration of that term.

I don't think it's objectively wrong to say "C++ program" according to our style, even though there is potential for harmonization, so P3 I suppose.

[jensmaurer]

In Annex C, we occasionally contrast C vs. C++, so saying "C++ program" might be helpful there.

[AlisdairM]

I guess I am mostly looking for whether we would want to harmonize towards some editorial direction. As a starting point, I would suggest the "the program" is implicitly always a C++ program as we are talking about "the program" being translated according to this standard. Hence "the program is ill-formed, no diagnostic required" would never become "the C++ program is ill-formed...".

Conversely, if we talk about a program, we might want to have some idea when to qualify that a program is a C++ program?

[jensmaurer]

We should carefully review where we talk about "C++ program" and whether that's really necessary. Only C++ programs are in scope for the C++ standard, nothing else.