For many years, C++ has served as the de facto language for writing fast, powerful, and enterprise-class object-oriented programs. As popular as C++ has become, the language is surprisingly difficult to grasp in full.
There are simple, but powerful, techniques that professional C++ programmers use that don’t show up in traditional texts, and there are useful parts of C++ that remain a mystery even to experienced C++ programmers.
Too often, programming books focus on the syntax of the language instead of its real-world use.
The typical C++ text introduces a major part of the language in each chapter, explaining the syntax and providing an example. Professional C++ does not follow this pattern.
Instead of giving you just the nuts and bolts of the language with little practical context, this book will teach you how to use C++ in the real world.
It will show you the little-known features that will make your life easier, and the programming techniques that separate novices from professional programmers.
WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR
Even if you have used the language for years, you might still be unfamiliar with the more-advanced features of C++, or you might not be using the full capabilities of the language.
Perhaps you write competent C++ code, but would like to learn more about design and good programming style in C++. Or maybe you’re relatively new to C++, but want to learn the “right” way to program from the start. This book will meet those needs and bring your C++ skills to the professional level.
Because this book focuses on advancing from basic or intermediate knowledge of C++ to becoming a professional C++ programmer, it assumes that you have some knowledge of the language. covers the basics of C++ as a refresher, but it is not a substitute for actual training and use of the language.
If you are just starting with C++, but you have significant experience in another programming language such as C, Java, or C#, you should be able to pick up most of what you need from
In any case, you should have a solid foundation in programming fundamentals. You should know about loops, functions, and variables.
You should know how to structure a program, and you should be familiar with fundamental techniques such as recursion.
You should have some knowledge of common data structures such as queues, and useful algorithms such as sorting and searching. You don’t need to know about object-oriented programming just yet—that is covered in
You will also need to be familiar with the compiler you will be using to develop your code. Two compilers, Microsoft Visual C++ and GCC, are introduced later in this introduction. For other compilers, refer to the documentation that came with your compiler.
