C++ PDF course

Introduction

C ++ programming interests you but it seems too complicated?
This C ++ course is for beginners like you who have never programmed!

C ++ is one of the most famous languages in the world. Widely used, particularly in the video game industry, which appreciates its performance and its possibilities, C ++ is now essential for developers.

C ++ is the descendant of the C language. These two languages, although similar at first sight, are nevertheless different. C ++ offers new features, such as object-oriented programming (OOP). They make it a very powerful language that allows programming with a different approach to the C language.

In this course, we will also discover a library called Qt. It adds a very wide range of possibilities to C ++: it will allow us to create windows and menus, but also to use the network features of your computer!

What is C ++?

Are you passionate about computers and would you like to learn how to program? And why not, after all ! Programming may seem difficult at first, but it's a much more accessible universe than it seems!

You're probably wondering where to start, if C ++ is for you, if it's not better to start with another language. You wonder if you can do anything you want, what are the strengths and weaknesses of C ++ ...

In this chapter, I will attempt to answer all these questions.
Do not forget: it's a beginner's course. No prior knowledge is required. Even if you have never planned in your life, all you need to do is read this course gradually, without burning the steps and practicing regularly at the same time as me!

The programs

Programs are the basis of computer science. They are the ones that allow you to perform actions on your computer.

On the other hand, if you take this course, you will have a solid foundation for developing programs. During a TP, we will even realize our own (simplified) web browser like Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome! You will be able to create programs with windows. With a little extra work, you can even create 2D and 3D games if you wish. In short, with time and perseverance, you can go far.

So yes, I do not forget your question: you wonder how to carry out programs. Programming is a very rich universe. Programming languages are used to explain to the computer what to do. Let's take a closer look at what programming languages are.

Software needed to program

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Now that we know a little more about C ++, if we started practicing to get to the heart of the matter?

Ah yes, it's true: you can not program until you have the right software! Indeed, it is necessary to install some specific software to program in C ++. In this chapter, we will put them in place and discover them together.

A little patience: from the next chapter, we can finally start to really program!

The tools needed by the programmer

So in your opinion, what tools does a programmer need?
If you have carefully followed the previous chapter, you must know at least one!

Do you see what I'm talking about ?

Yes, it is the compiler, this famous program that can translate your C ++ language into binary language!

There are several for the C ++ language. But we will see that the choice of the compiler will not be very complicated in our case.

Well, what else do we need?

I will not let you guess any longer. Here is the bare minimum for a programmer:

A text editor to write the source code of the program in C ++. In theory a software like Notepad under Windows or Linux vi makes the case. The ideal is to have a smart text editor that colors the code by itself, which allows you to find your way there much more easily. That's why no sane programmer uses Notepad.

A compiler to transform ("compile") your source code into binary.

A debugger ("Debugger" or "Debugeur" in French) to help you track errors in your program (we have unfortunately not yet invented the "corrector", a trick that would correct our mistakes alone).

A priori, if you are a daredevil of the extreme, you could do without debugging. But hey, I know for sure that 5 minutes later you would come back and ask me where you can find a debugger who works well.

From now on we have 2 possibilities:

Either we recover each of these 3 programs separately. This is the most complicated method, but it works. In Linux in particular, many programmers prefer to use these 3 programs separately. I will not detail this solution here, I will rather talk about the simple method.

Either we use a "3-in-1" program (yes, like dishwashing liquids) that combines text editor, compiler and debugger. These "3-in-1" programs are called IDE (or in French "EDI" for "Integrated Development Environment").

There are several development environments. At first you may have a hard time choosing the one you like. One thing is for sure: you can do any type of program, no matter which IDE you choose.