Stroustrup began developing C++ in 1979 (then called "C with Classes"), and, in his own words, "invented C++, wrote its early definitions, and produced its first implementation... chose and formulated the design criteria for C++, designed all its major facilities, and was responsible for the processing of extension proposals in the C++ standards committee." Stroustrup also wrote what many consider to be the standard text for the language, The C++ Programming Language, which is now in its third edition. The text has been revised twice to reflect the evolution of the language and the work of the C++ standards committee.

Stroustrup has a master's degree in mathematics and computer science (1975) from the University of Aarhus, Denmark, and a Ph.D. in computer science (1979) from the University of Cambridge, England. He was the head of AT&T Lab's Large-scale Programming Research department, from its creation until late 2002. Stroustrup was elected member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2004. He is a Fellow of the ACM (1994) and an IEEE Fellow. He currently works at Texas A&M University as a Professor where he holds the College of Engineering Chair in Computer Science.

Stroustrup has a master's degree in mathematics and computer science (1975) from the University of Aarhus, Denmark, and a Ph.D. in computer science (1979) from the University of Cambridge, England. He was the head of AT&T Lab's Large-scale Programming Research department, from its creation until late 2002. Stroustrup was elected member of the National Academy of Engineering in 2004. He is a Fellow of the ACM (1994) and an IEEE Fellow. He currently works at Texas A&M University as a Professor where he holds the College of Engineering Chair in Computer Science.