C++ Tutorial

This C++ tutorial teaches modern C++ from your first program to classes, templates, the Standard Library and smart pointers. C++ is a fast, compiled, general-purpose language created by Bjarne Stroustrup in 1985 as an extension of C with object-oriented features.

Today C++ powers game engines like Unreal, web browsers like Chrome, databases, trading systems, robotics and much of the software where speed matters most.

Why Learn C++?

• Performance: C++ compiles to native machine code and gives you control over memory.
• Versatility: it supports procedural, object-oriented and generic programming.
• Industry demand: game development, finance, embedded systems and systems programming rely on it.
• A rich Standard Library with containers, algorithms, strings and more.
• Modern C++ (C++11 to C++20) is far safer and more expressive than older styles.

Your First C++ Program

#include <iostream> brings in input/output streams. std::cout prints to the screen using the << operator, and main is where every C++ program starts.

#include <iostream>

int main() {
    std::cout << "Hello, C++!\n";
    return 0;
}

Hello, C++!

What This C++ Tutorial Covers

• Setup, syntax, variables, data types and operators
• Input/output, strings, conditions and loops
• Functions, arrays, vectors, references and pointers
• Classes, constructors, inheritance and polymorphism
• Templates, the STL, smart pointers, exceptions and lambdas

C++ vs C

C++ includes almost all of C, but adds classes, references, function overloading, templates, exceptions and a large standard library. Modern C++ code rarely uses raw malloc or char arrays; instead it uses std::string, std::vector and smart pointers that manage memory automatically. Every example in this tutorial uses the C++20 standard and shows its output, so you can follow along even before installing a compiler.

Frequently asked questions

Is C++ hard to learn?

C++ is a large language, but you do not need all of it to be productive. Learning the modern core shown in this tutorial makes it much more approachable.

Do I need to learn C before C++?

No. You can learn C++ directly. Knowing C helps with low-level understanding, but modern C++ encourages different habits than C.

What is C++ mainly used for?

Game engines, operating systems, browsers, embedded devices, high-frequency trading, scientific computing and any software that needs high performance.