Effective C++, Third Edition

1. Accustoming Yourself to C++

Regardless of your programming background, C++ is likely to take a little getting used to. It's a powerful language with an enormous range of features, but before you can harness that power and make effective use of those features, you have to accustom yourself to C++'s way of doing things. This entire book is about how to do that, but some things are more fundamental than others, and this chapter is about some of the most fundamental things of all.

Item 1: View C++ as a federation of languages

In the beginning, C++ was just C with some object-oriented features tacked on. Even C++'s original name, “C with Classes,” reflected this simple heritage.

As the language matured, it grew bolder and more adventurous, adopting ...