Why should one use std::string over c-style strings in C++?

Question

\"One should always use std::string over c-style strings(char *)\" is advice that comes up for almost every source code posted here. While the

Answer 1

Well, if you just need an array of chars, std::string provides little advantage. But face it, how often is that the case? By wrapping a char array with additional functionality like std::string does, you gain both power and efficiency for some operations.

For example, determining the length of an array of characters requires "counting" the characters in the array. In contrast, an std::string provides an efficient operation for this particular task. (see https://stackoverflow.com/a/1467497/129622)

1. For power, efficiency and sanity
2. Larger memory footprint than "just" a char array
3. When you just need an array of chars