debug_master10 · 09.05.2026

Difference between #include <filename> and #include "filename" in C++

Hi everyone! I just started learning C++ and came across something I don't understand. In different textbooks and examples, I see header files included in two different ways: with angle brackets `#include ` and with quotes `#include "myheader.h"`. I understand that both options work, but I'm not clear on what the fundamental difference is. When should I use angle brackets and when should I use quotes? Does it affect compilation speed or where the compiler looks for files? I tried writing `#include "iostream"` — and it also worked (I'm using Visual Studio). Does this mean there's no difference at all? I'm especially confused when I create my own header file, for example, `utils.h`, which is located in the same folder as `main.cpp`. I've seen some people write `#include "utils.h"`

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