Difference between Endl and '\n'

[Rohan Rai]

I have a simple program I tested and I realise that endl wreaks havoc on my program. Using endl, my program ran in 100+ ms while working with '\n', the time dropped to ~50ms. Can anyone tell why is there such a difference?

P.S. I did read other post that somehow explained what each of them are doing, but does std::flush really take so much time?
Or could there be another possible explanation?

[Gaurav Negi]

Hello this is Gulshan Negi
Well, std::endl and '\n' are both used to represent the end-of-line character in C++. std::endl not only outputs a newline character but also flushes the output buffer, ensuring immediate visibility of the output. On the other hand, '\n' simply represents the newline character without flushing the buffer. The choice between std::endl and '\n' depends on whether immediate flushing of the output buffer is necessary or desired. If immediate flushing is not required, using '\n' is generally more efficient.
I hope it is clear now.
Thanks

[Anuradha Gupta]

In practical terms, the excessive use of std::endl for frequent line breaks, especially in loops or data-intensive operations, can significantly degrade performance due to constant flushing. For efficient output handling, prefer '\n' unless immediate flush is necessary, such as for real-time logging or user prompts. This approach optimizes performance without sacrificing output integrity.

[Robert1235]

Using '\n' in your program can have a positive impact on performance compared to using endl. This is because '\n' only inserts a newline character without flushing the output buffer, which can lead to faster execution times. On the other hand, endl not only inserts a newline character but also flushes the output buffer, causing additional overhead, especially when outputting a large amount of data frequently. Therefore, the use of std::flush can indeed result in longer execution times, ultimately affecting performance.

[Emma Olivia]

endl This is used in C++ to insert a new line and flush the output buffer. Flushing means it forces the program to write all the buffered output to the console immediately. This can be useful when you want to make sure the output is displayed right away.

\n This is a newline character used in both C and C++. It just inserts a new line without flushing the output buffer. This means the output might not be displayed immediately, but it can be faster because it doesn’t force the program to write to the console right away.