C++ Crash Course

Book excerpt: A fast-paced, thorough introduction to modern C++ written for experienced programmers. After reading C++ Crash Course, you'll be proficient in the core language concepts, the C++ Standard Library, and the Boost Libraries. C++ is one of the most widely used languages for real-world software. In the hands of a knowledgeable programmer, C++ can produce small, efficient, and readable code that any programmer would be proud of. Designed for intermediate to advanced programmers, C++ Crash Course cuts through the weeds to get you straight to the core of C++17, the most modern revision of the ISO standard. Part 1 covers the core of the C++ language, where you'll learn about everything from types and functions, to the object life cycle and expressions. Part 2 introduces you to the C++ Standard Library and Boost Libraries, where you'll learn about all of the high-quality, fully-featured facilities available to you. You'll cover special utility classes, data structures, and algorithms, and learn how to manipulate file systems and build high-performance programs that communicate over networks. You'll learn all the major features of modern C++, including: Fundamental types, reference types, and user-defined types The object lifecycle including storage duration, memory management, exceptions, call stacks, and the RAII paradigm Compile-time polymorphism with templates and run-time polymorphism with virtual classes Advanced expressions, statements, and functions Smart pointers, data structures, dates and times, numerics, and probability/statistics facilities Containers, iterators, strings, and algorithms Streams and files, concurrency, networking, and application development With well over 500 code samples and nearly 100 exercises, C++ Crash Course is sure to help you build a strong C++ foundation.