The Best Way to Learn C++

 The Best Way to Learn C++

C++ is one of the most widely used programming languages on the planet, but you might be surprised to learn that it’s also one of the easiest to learn! Whether you’re just getting started in the world of coding or you’ve already taken a stab at it, these tips will help you become an expert programmer in no time at all.

Basics

No matter what you end up doing in life, having some knowledge of programming is a good idea. It’s not hard to get started and it can help you manage data, create documents or even build your own computer games. There are so many resources for getting started that it's almost too much to choose from. Finding a good starting point is easier if you already have an idea of what kind of projects you want to build or how your programming skills will be used. If you're still uncertain, try looking into coding boot camps or online courses designed specifically for beginners. Once you've chosen a course, stick with it and get through all of the lessons—don't just spend 10 minutes on week 3 lesson 4 because it's difficult! Take your time and don't give up. The basics might seem boring but they'll serve as a solid foundation for future learning. If you're interested in making video games: If your interest lies more in game development than writing code for other purposes, then you may want to take a look at Unity3D. Unity allows users to write code that builds entire interactive worlds by manipulating objects, changing their appearance and defining their behavior. One of its best features is its intuitive interface; even those who have never programmed before can use it to make complex 2D and 3D environments without needing prior experience. Keep in mind that Unity isn't free, though there is a 30-day trial available. If you're interested in developing software applications: You may want to learn Python instead of C++. Python is considered one of the easiest languages to learn and has been widely adopted across multiple industries (including gaming). You could also look into Java, which is another popular option among developers. However, these languages tend to require more previous knowledge than C++ does.

Math and Algorithms

So you want to learn how to program in C++. That’s great! Developing a mastery of programming will help you get a job, have fun on your own time, and develop skills that can carry over into other areas of life. But learning any skill can be overwhelming—there are so many different concepts to master and terms that don’t make sense. How do you even start? You could take an expensive course at a community college or dive right into one of those expensive For Dummies books, but neither are very efficient ways of learning. However, there is a better way—and it starts with math and algorithms! In fact, all programming languages build upon basic mathematical principles. Once you understand these principles, they’ll provide a foundation for everything else you need to know about coding. In addition, being able to think like a computer scientist means being able to break down problems into smaller parts and figure out solutions systematically—skills that are useful in almost every area of life. It may seem intimidating now, but once you get started it won’t seem nearly as scary! Let's go through some basic concepts... This post also includes source code for simple c++ programs. The examples below were written using Visual Studio 2017 Community Edition, however if you're using another compiler then please check their documentation to see what additional steps are required (for example - compiling without GUI support). I've added some comments to explain what each section does. If you run into trouble then leave a comment below and I'll try my best to help.

Data Structures

The term data structure is tossed around rather casually in many programming tutorials, but its definition and meaning can vary wildly. Data structures are simply constructs that contain data items, which are basically pieces of information. More generally, data structures are ways to organize and store large amounts of information. The more complex your data set, or collection of data points you wish to manage and manipulate, the more necessary it becomes for you to use a robust—or at least efficient—data structure (or set of structures). The two main classes of data structures used in modern computer science: lists and trees. Trees are essentially fancy linked lists that contain branches or child nodes; lists are linear collections with no sub-elements. There are other data structures as well, including stacks, queues, heaps and graphs. These all have their uses depending on what type of problem you’re trying to solve. A graph might be useful if you’re trying to model social networks or other relationships between people or things; a stack could be helpful if you need an ordered list where elements can only be added or removed from one end. For example, say we want to track numbers from 1 through 10 using a stack: push would add each number onto our stack in order while pop would remove them from our stack in reverse order. If we wanted to add numbers 11 through 20 instead, we could just push those onto our stack after 10 was popped off.

Memory Management

One of the things that can scare beginners away from learning new programming languages is having to manage memory, or free store. It’s one of those concepts that sounds scary and intimidating when you’re just starting out, but it’s actually not that hard. If you already know a bit about object-oriented programming in a high-level language like Java or Python, it will be even easier for you. It isn’t difficult at all, and once you get used to thinking about memory management (which doesn’t take long), there are a number of ways for you to optimize your code by avoiding unnecessary memory allocation and freeing up memory when it isn’t being used anymore. This makes your programs run faster, which is always a good thing! So let’s look at how we can avoid some common pitfalls in C++ and make our code more efficient. The most important thing to remember with memory management is: try not to think about it! When you start writing larger applications, however, especially ones that use dynamic data structures like linked lists or graphs, then it’s going to become increasingly important for you to pay attention. But don’t worry—we’ll go over everything you need to know. Let’s dive right in!

What Is Memory Management? In computer science, memory management refers to allocating and releasing blocks of RAM (random access memory) to computers so they can process data. For example, when you create an array using int[] array = new int[10];, you are using automatic memory management since C++ knows how many elements are needed for that array type. Automatic storage is generally fast because it requires no work on your part beyond initializing your variables properly; however, there is a tradeoff involved because if you forget to allocate enough space, or if an error occurs while doing so, then unexpected behavior may occur because certain pieces of data may not be stored where they should be.

Putting it all together

When you’re first learning a new language, it can be hard to figure out what information you need, and where to get it. Often times you’ll find yourself jumping from tutorial to tutorial, trying in vain to piece together what should be a simple task. The best way for you learn programming is by diving right in and getting your hands dirty. You can do that by building applications or games as most of them are made up of many interlocking components that require logic and problem solving skills. Don’t worry if your initial program doesn’t work—you are probably going down an entirely wrong path. Think about how some problems might be best solved with recursion rather than iteration and then try building a program based on that idea. Programming languages have been around for decades and there are plenty of resources available online. It’s important to understand that you won’t become a master overnight—it takes time, patience, and practice. But once you start seeing results, I promise it will all be worth it! - Amit Pareek , Amazon Developer Relations Engineer.