C++ Introduction

C++ is a fast, general purpose programming language. It was created by Bjarne Stroustrup at Bell Labs, as an extension of C with classes, and it is one of the most used languages in the world. In the TIOBE index of November 2026, C++ is on the 4th place, and the C and C++ languages together are on the 3rd place of the PYPL index (Google tutorial searches).

What is C++ used for?

• Games and game engines (Unreal Engine is written in C++).
• Operating systems, browsers and databases (parts of Windows, Chrome and MySQL).
• High performance and real time software: finance, trading, robots, embedded devices.
• Graphics, simulation and machine learning libraries (the fast core of many tools is in C++).

Why learn C++?

• Speed: C++ is compiled to machine code, and it gives you control of the memory.
• Both low level and high level: you can write close to the hardware and also use classes, templates and the standard library.
• Strong base: after C++, other languages like Java, C# and Rust are easier to understand.
• Many jobs in systems, games and performance work.

C++ standards

C++ is standardized by ISO. A new standard comes about every three years: C++11, C++14, C++17, C++20 and C++23 (the newest published one). A newer one, C++26, is in the approval process. This tutorial uses C++23 and was tested with GCC 16:

A first look

#include <iostream>
#include <string>

int main() {
    std::string language = "C++";
    int year = 1985;
    std::cout << "Hello from " << language << "! First commercial release: " << year << '\n';
}

What you will learn

• Install a compiler and run your first program.
• Variables, types, operators, strings, input and output.
• Decisions and loops, arrays, vectors and functions.
• References, pointers and dynamic memory (with smart pointers).
• Classes, inheritance, polymorphism, operator overloading and templates.
• The STL (containers and algorithms), lambdas, exceptions and files.
• Modern C++: move semantics, ranges, std::format, std::print and threads.

• Next Page

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Exercises & Assignments
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Interview Questions & Answers
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