Introducing C++

Preface

You already know how to code, perhaps just a little, but haven’t tried C++ yet. You’ve come to the right place.

C++ is an old language, which has evolved over time. C++ has a reputation of being a difficult language to learn, but I will explain the basics to you. You’ll get a deeper understanding of what is happening under the hood in other languages when you take time to learn C++. If you learn C++, you will therefore find many other languages easier to learn. It’s worth putting in the time and effort.

There hasn’t been a new introductory book recently, so the time had come to write one. There are many older, excellent books, but they don’t cover newer language standards. One of my favorites is Accelerated C++: Practical Programming by Example by Andrew Koenig and Barbara E. Moo. This is still an excellent resource but doesn’t cover newer features, since it was published in 2000.

I’ll show you newer C++ features, building up a small program over the course of the book. I mostly target C++23 but give you a glimpse of a few C++26 features too. I also cover older features that haven’t changed. I don’t have space to cover everything, but you don’t need to know everything to get the basics of the language. I’ll cover enough to give you a solid foundation.

Who Is This Book For?

I have written this book for people who don’t know C++ but have maybe programmed a little in another language. Whether you are a student or a seasoned pro, you will gain something from learning C++. ...