Sams Teach Yourself C++ in One Hour a Day

by Siddhartha Rao

In just one hour a day, you ll have all the skills you need to begin programming in C++. With this complete tutorial, you ll quickly master the basics, and then move on to more advanced features and concepts. Completely updated for the C++14 standard, with a preview of C++17, this book presents the language from a practical point of view, helping you learn how to use C++ to create faster, simpler, and more efficient C++ applications.
Master the fundamentals of C++ and object-oriented programming Understand how C++ features help you write compact and efficient code using concepts such as lambda expressions, move constructors, and assignment operators Learn best practices and avoid pitfalls via useful Do s and Don ts Learn the Standard Template Library, including containers and algorithms used in most real-world C++ applications Test your knowledge and expertise with exercises at the end of every lesson Learn on your own time, at your own pace
No previous programming experience required Write fast and powerful C++ programs, compile the source code, and create executable files Learn object-oriented programming concepts such as encapsulation, abstraction, inheritance, and polymorphism Use the Standard Template Library s algorithms and containers to write feature-rich yet stable C++ applications Learn how automatic type deduction helps simplify C++ code Develop sophisticated programming techniques using lambda expressions, smart pointers, and move constructors Master the features of C++ by learning from programming experts Learn C++ features that allow you to program compact and high-performance C++ applications Preview what s new in C++17 Contents at a Glance
Part I: The Basics Lesson 1: Getting Started Lesson 2: The Anatomy of a C++ Program Lesson 3: Using Variables, Declaring Constants Lesson 4: Managing Arrays and Strings Lesson 5: Working with Expressions, Statements, and Operators Lesson 6: Controlling Program Flow Lesson 7: Organizing Code with Functions Lesson 8: Pointers and References Explained
Part II: Fundamentals of Object-Oriented C++ Programming Lesson 9: Classes and Objects Lesson 10: Implementing Inheritance Lesson 11: Polymorphism Lesson 12: Operator Types and Operator Overloading Lesson 13: Casting Operators Lesson 14: An Introduction to Macros and Templates
Part III: Learning the Standard Template Library (STL) Lesson 15: An Introduction to the Standard Template Library Lesson 16: The STL String Class Lesson 17: STL Dynamic Array Classes Lesson 18: STL list and forward_list Lesson 19: STL Set Classes Lesson 20: STL Map Classes
Part IV: More STL Lesson 21: Understanding Function Objects Lesson 22: Lambda Expressions Lesson 23: STL Algorithms Lesson 24: Adaptive Containers: Stack and Queue Lesson 25: Working with Bit Flags Using STL
Part V: Advanced C++ Concepts Lesson 26: Understanding Smart Pointers Lesson 27: Using Streams for Input and Output Lesson 28: Exception Handling Lesson 29: Going Forward
Part VI: Appendixes Appendix A: Working with Numbers: Binary and Hexadecimal Appendix B: C++ Keywords Appendix C: Operator Precedence Appendix D: ASCII Codes Appendix E: Answers"

Genres: Programming, Computer Science, Software, Computers, Reference, Nonfiction

800 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 8, 2008

Reviews

[Zahra Dashti · Rating 4 out of 5]

برای کسی که برنامه نویسی به یک زبان شیئ گرای دیگه رو بلده، کتاب خوب و مختصر مفیدی برای یادگرفتن c++ هست که بیشتر موارد لازم برای کار رو پوشش می ده، ولی قطعا کاملترین کتاب در این زمینه نیست.
بیانش خوب و قابل فهم بود، مثال ها هم کاملا واضح بودن.

[Ockert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written. All the terminology is very well explained so that a layman can understand. The book gives a very friendly atmosphere, which makes it easier to learn. The examples used in this book is not over the top like most books. It sticks to the basics and do not try to make the exercises too complicated. I wish I had a book like this when I started my programming journey a long time ago. Why do I say this? Well, with the right book, written the right way, by an author that is humble and knows what it is like to "work his way to the top", it makes understanding complicated things easy!

Thank you very much for this very useful book!

[Brian Salehi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book twice (two times complete) and I think that it's the best book for starters or professionals.
The book is highly structured and topics are perfectly ordered.
The practices at the end of each chapter makes sure no one will ever leave that chapter with any doubts.
Almost everything was covered in this book

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am reviewing the C++11/C++14 update.

Well, if you want to learn C++, this is the book you need. I taught myself C++ back in 2003 from "C++ How to Program", which is a good book but extremely large and prolix. "Sams Teach Yourself C++ in One Hour a Day" however teaches c++ in details, clearly and objectively. The book has around 800 pages and it is still easy to read and learn. The other great book I recommend should you wish to delve into the world of C++ is "C++ The Practice Of Programming" co-authored by the legend himself, maybe one of the greatest living minds, the C++ creator Bjarne Stroustrup,

If you know C++ before its multiple newer versions ( c++ now follows Java and releases new versions every 3 years maybe to bring youngsters to C++ ), this is a highly recommended book as well which was the use I made of the previous edition which focused on C++11 and now has been updated to C++14.

Siddhartha Rao is a very good technical author and knows C++ very well so he conveys things like polymorphism or operator overloading clearly enough to get you started.

This books covers the language aspects and has a real good dose of STL, which makes it worth the price.

[Andre Garrigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did a crap load of research and ended up settling on Sam's Teach Yourself C++

The research paid off. Before completing this textbook I would have labeled myself a complete beginner. Sam's Teach Yourself C++ quickly brought me up to speed. I would now label myself an intermediate C++ programmer who is ready to pick up a book labeled as "advanced."

One last thing. The "one hour a day" shpeel is utter bullshit. On average, each chapter takes 3-4 hrs to complete. However, I would still recommend this book over any other text. A++

[Muhammad al-Khwarizmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good place to start, but don't finish here. Author does things like using "size_t" without explaining it and writing templates with "typename" and "class" without ever mentioning that they are the same. Of course this cannot be a complete guide anyway: Bjarne Stroustrup himself has said that he only understands part of the C++ standard. Other than that this can get you pretty far in short order. I read it to understand OpenCV guides and of course this has already become a lot easier.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great way to get (re) acquainted with the language. Nice emphasis on c++11 puts you ahead of the curve. Would have enjoyed a bit more interesting examples and deeper coverage in the later chapters. But then again, that would make it harder to breeze through. Bottom line : a worthy addition to the Sams teach yourself series and recommended for (re) learners.

[Sardar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a bit easier to read than A tour of C++ by Bjarne with the same goal - providing you with a good introduction to C++ language.

I gave it 4 stars because of a few errors and some ill advice. But in general, the book is a good read for a beginner who already knows some other programming language.

Pro's: examples, summaries, language
Con's: C++20 update is a joke. Concepts, threads and modules are barely touched as if the book needed a new cover without much effort.

If you already have spent 10-30 hours on cppreference.com reading about C++ syntax, STL containers/iterators/algorithms, templates, objects & value categories, then you will find little new in this book. Of course, this book is much more accessible than cppreference.

[Kiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've used this book to accompany an Introduction to Computer Science class I teach. In this first class, we only used content from the first half of the book (prior to object-oriented subjects). In general I found the coverage adequate but not outstanding. Some of the ordering of subjects is a bit odd (like introducing variables and then jumping to scope and illustrating it with functions in Lesson 3, without explaining functions because that subject comes much later). I also would have liked more exercises (we always want more exercises!). However, the language is generally clear and students seem to understand it as well.

[Geoffrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of the Sam's Teach Yourself series. I read this after reading Sam's Teach Yourself C in One Hour a Day. The book does a great job explaining how C/C++ works, and then transitions over to Object Oriented programming in C++. From the intro to the advanced topics, this book does a great job introducing all the concepts that are used in C++ programming.

[Chris Chang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good rough introduction to C++, but I'll certainly need more reading and practice to feel like I could program in C++ adequately. This is a good introduction to the landscape of C++ and its concepts, though.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great C++ book.

I have been tinkering with C, and although I know it well, I still like to keep sharp and this book was a good help.

Would recommend to get up-to-speed on C++

4.3/5

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cannot imagine that anyone would ever learn C++ in one hour a day, however the book is wonderfully structured, and a great reference book once you've finished reading it.

[Wallace Obey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always read this book at least once when I’m getting ready for interviews before moving onto advance topics. It’s a great entry level resource! 5/5 ⭐️

[Duip]

2021, 9th Edition.
Incomprehensive.

[Viet Dinh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative Book!