The Ultimate Guide to Learning C++ From Scratch

So you want to learn C++? Great choice! As a professional programmer myself, I think C++ is one of the most useful and versatile programming languages out there. Whether you’re looking to get into game development, build desktop apps, or even land a sweet software engineering job at a fancy tech company, learning C++ is a fantastic place to start.

In this ultimate guide, I’m going to walk you through everything you need to know to go from a total beginner to an intermediate C++ programmer. I’ll share the best online courses, tutorials, and other resources I’ve used over the years to level up my own C++ skills. By the end, you’ll have a clear roadmap to mastering this powerful language!

Why Learn C++?

Before we dive in, let’s talk about why you should even bother learning C++ in the first place. Here are some of the key benefits:

• Performance – C++ is blazing fast, thanks to its compilation to native machine code. It’s great for applications where speed matters.

• Control – C++ gives you a lot of control over low-level operations and memory management Useful for system programming

• Portability – C++ code can be compiled to run on many different platforms like Windows Mac Linux, iOS, Android, etc.

• Job Opportunities – C++ devs are in high demand at big tech firms. Knowing C++ can really help your career prospects as a programmer.

• Game Development – Many popular game engines like Unreal and Unity support C++. Great to learn if you want to get into games.

• General Purpose – C++ powers everything from operating systems to stock trading platforms to self-driving cars. It can do it all!

How Hard is C++ to Learn?

I’m not going to sugarcoat it – C++ has a reputation for being a difficult language. Compared to easier languages like Python, it can definitely have a steeper learning curve. However, while parts of C++ are complex (like pointers and memory management), the core language itself is totally approachable for beginners.

Here are my top tips for making C++ more manageable as a newbie:

• Start simple – Focus just on the basics at first. You don’t need to understand every advanced feature right away. Build up incrementally.

• Use lots of examples – Don’t just read concepts, write actual code. Examples will make things click better.

• Get visual – Use flowcharts and diagrams to visualize program logic and structure.

• Practice regularly – Code a little bit every day. Practical experience is how you get better.

• Ask questions – Google things you don’t understand, and leverage programmer communities for help.

Follow those tips, and you’ll be cranking out C++ code in no time! Now let’s look at the best ways to learn.

The Best Ways to Learn C++

There are tons of courses, books, tutorials, and learning resources for C++. Here are the ones I recommend most based on my own experience:

Online Courses & Tutorials

Learn C++ on Codecademy

Codecademy has free and premium courses specifically focused on teaching beginners. The instructional style is clear, concise and hands-on. You get to write plenty of code yourself. Highly recommended as a starting point.

LearnCpp.com

LearnCpp has great free C++ tutorials covering everything from the absolute basics through more advanced topics. The information is well-structured and easy to follow. Lots of great code examples too.

C++ For Programmers on Udemy

A solid paid course focused on getting experienced coders up to speed with modern C++. Helpful if you have prior programming experience. More intermediate.

TutorialsPoint

Their C++ tutorials are free and cover a wide range of topics. Good supplemental resource for extra examples and practice coding.

Books

Here are some of the best C++ books for self-study:

• C++ Primer by Stanley Lippman – Thorough introductory book withexercises. Great foundation.

• Effective Modern C++ by Scott Meyers – How to leverage modern C++11/14 features. A bit more advanced.

• The C++ Programming Language by Bjarne Stroustrup – The classic text written by C++’s creator. Very comprehensive but dense.

• C++ The hard Way – A project-based approach with lots of coding challenges. Really makes you learn by doing.

Video Courses

If you prefer learning through videos, these are excellent:

• C++ Tutorial for Complete Beginners on YouTube by freeCodeCamp – Free 8 hour course walking through all major C++ topics.

• Beginning C++ Programming by Jason Turner on O’Reilly – Paid video series with good pacing for beginners.

• C++ Fundamentals on Pluralsight – Part of their subscription service. High production value.

Learning By Doing

Once you’ve learned the basics from courses and books, practicing with your own projects is vital. Here are some ideas:

• Build simple command line programs like a calculator or unit converter.

• Make basic games like Tic Tac Toe, Blackjack or Hangman.

• Create graphics/simulations with an API like SDL or SFML.

• Work through C++ programming challenges on sites like LeetCode.

• Contribute to open source C++ projects on GitHub.

The more programs you build, the faster you’ll improve as a C++ developer!

Key C++ Concepts for Beginners

As a C++ newbie, here are some of the core programming concepts you should focus on first:

• Variables – Storing data like numbers and strings

• Data Types – Integers, floating point, booleans, etc

• Operators – Math operators, comparison operators

• Functions – Reusable blocks of code

• Conditionals – Making decisions with if/else/switch

• Loops – Repeating code with for/while/do-while

• Arrays – Ordered data structures

• Pointers – Referencing memory addresses

• Strings – Working with text

• Classes & Objects – Defining custom data structures

Those fundamentals will give you a solid base to build on. Don’t worry if some concepts seem confusing at first – they’ll become clearer with practice.

Tips for Learning Effectively

Here are my top study tips for learning C++ (or any programming language) effectively:

• Take breaks – Don’t code for hours on end. Your brain needs rest to absorb the material.

• Review often – Re-read previous chapters and notes to reinforce concepts.

• Explain out loud – Verbalizing ideas can help solidify your understanding.

• Draw diagrams – Visualizing program logic and flow makes it stick better.

• Take notes – Write down key points, terms and snippets of code.

• Make flashcards – Great for memorizing syntax, especially as a beginner.

• Explain to others – Teaching a topic really forces you to understand it fully.

• Practice recall – Test yourself to see what knowledge has “stuck”.

Finding Help as a Beginner

Even experienced C++ programmers still have to look things up sometimes. As a beginner, it’s totally normal to get stuck and need help. Here’s where to look:

• Google – Obvious but essential. Search error messages, function names, etc.

• StackOverflow – Programming Q&A site with an extensive C++ knowledge base.

• Reddit – Good subreddits like /r/cpp_questions.

• C++ Reference – Handy syntax and documentation reference.

• Discord – Chat servers like Cpp Discord for developer discussions.

• IDE help – Built-in documentation in IDEs like Visual Studio.

• Tutorial forums – Q&A sections on tutorial sites.

Never hesitate to search for help when you need it. Finding answers is all part of the learning process!

Integrated Development Environments (IDEs)

An essential tool you’ll need is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) – software for writing and debugging C++ code. Here are the most popular choices:

• Visual Studio – Made by Microsoft. Full-featured but heavy. Free Community version available.

• Xcode – Made by Apple. Great if developing for Mac or iOS. Free to download.

• Code::Blocks