C++ Programming Basics

Introduction to C++

• C++ is a general-purpose programming language initially developed by Bjarne Stroustrup as an extension of the C programming language.
• It's known for its efficiency, flexibility, and wide range of applications, from operating systems to games.
• C++ supports object-oriented programming (OOP), allowing the creation of reusable code components.
• It also offers low-level memory manipulation capabilities, useful for performance-critical applications.

Data Types

• C++ provides fundamental data types like int, float, double, char, and bool.
• These types have predefined sizes and representations in memory.
• Users can also define custom data structures using structures and classes.

Variables and Constants

• Variables store data values that can change during program execution.
• They are declared using a data type followed by a name.
• Constants hold fixed values that cannot be altered after initialization, often used for representing fixed values.

Operators

• C++ supports various operators for performing arithmetic, logical, and bitwise operations.
• Arithmetic operators include addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*), division (/), and modulo (%).
• Logical operators include AND(&&), OR(||), and NOT (!).
• Bitwise operators manipulate individual bits within data.

Control Structures

• Control structures (if-else statements, loops) control the flow of execution in C++.
• The if-else statement executes different blocks of code based on conditions.
• while, do-while, and for loops repeat a block of code as long as a specified condition is met.

Functions

• Functions are reusable blocks of code that perform specific tasks.
• They are defined with a return type, a name, and a set of parameters.
• Functions are called by their name, passing the required arguments.

Arrays and Pointers

• Arrays store a collection of elements of the same data type.
• Pointers hold memory addresses, allowing access to and manipulation of data at a specific location in memory.
• Pointers facilitate dynamic memory allocation, where memory is allocated during runtime.

Classes and Objects

• Classes define blueprints for objects, specifying data members and methods.
• Objects are instances of a class, representing specific data and behavior.
• Classes encapsulate data (variables) and code (methods) related to a concept or entity, promoting data protection and code organization.

Input/Output (I/O)

• C++ provides mechanisms for reading inputs from the user and displaying outputs to the console or files.
• cin and cout are standard input and output objects.
• File I/O allows reading from and writing to files, storing and retrieving information.

Memory Management

• Memory management is crucial in C++ for controlling program access to and handling of available memory.
• Dynamic memory allocation allows programs to request memory during runtime when memory needs are unknown beforehand using new and delete operators.

Error Handling

• C++ provides mechanisms to handle errors and exceptions that may arise during program execution
• The try, catch, and throw keywords are combined for error trapping.
• This safeguards from unexpected program crashes when unanticipated issues arise.

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) Concepts in C++

• Encapsulation: Bundling data and methods that operate on that data within a class.
• Inheritance: Creating new classes (derived classes) from existing ones (base classes), inheriting properties and behaviors.
• Polymorphism: Allowing objects of different classes to be treated as objects of a common type.
• Abstraction: Hiding complex implementation details from the user, showing only essential information.

Standard Template Library (STL)

• The STL is a collection of template classes and functions implementing commonly used data structures and algorithms.

• Containers: Data structures like vectors, lists, sets, maps.

• Iterators: Accessing elements of a container sequentially, without needing access to underlying implementation details.

• Algorithms: Predefined functions for sorting, searching, etc.

Modern C++ Features

• Lambda expressions: Small, anonymous functions.
• Smart pointers: Automatically manage dynamically allocated memory, preventing memory leaks.
• Ranges-based for loops: Iterate over containers more concisely.
• Modern concepts: Coroutines, concurrency tools.

Compiling and Running C++ Code

• Compilers translate C++ source code into machine code that can be run by a computer.
• A linker combines object files created from multiple source files into an executable program.
• Appropriate command-line tools and build systems (like Make) are used for compilation, linking, and program execution.