C++ Complete Lecture

Course Overview

• Welcome to the Ultimate C++ Course. Designed to cover basics to advanced concepts.
• Instructor: Mosh Hamadani. Software engineer with 20+ years of experience.
• Target Audience: Beginners, no prior knowledge required.
• Course Goal: Help you write C++ code confidently.
• No need to rely on random tutorials, everything is covered in one place.
• Tools and IDEs suggested include Microsoft Visual Studio (Windows), Xcode (Mac), and CLion (Cross-platform).

Introduction to C++

• Popularity and Applications: Used in performance-critical apps, games, device drivers, web browsers, servers, OS.
• Companies Using C++: Adobe, Google, Microsoft, Netflix, NASA.
• C++ Versions: New version every 3 years, the latest being version 20.
• Relevance: Still critical despite new languages like Java and C# because it is fast and memory efficient.
• Learning C++: Influential for many languages (e.g., Java, C#, JavaScript). Great investment for software engineering jobs.
• Salary Insight: Average US salary for a C++ programmer >$170,000/year.

Mastering C++

• Components to Learn:
  1. C++ Language: Syntax, grammar.
  2. C++ Standard Library (STL): Pre-written code: data structures, algorithms.
• Complexity: Not necessary to learn all features; focus on what is essential.
• Course Structure: Step-by-step learning with practical exercises.

Tools for C++ Programming

• IDE (Integrated Development Environment): Essential for writing, building, and debugging C++ code.
• Top IDEs:
  • Microsoft Visual Studio (Windows)
  • Xcode (Mac)
  • CLion (Cross-platform, 30-day free trial)
• CLion Setup: Ensure you download the correct build for your processor type (Intel or Apple Silicon).

Writing Your First C++ Program

• Code Example: Main file main.cpp, basic structure detailed.
• Function Definition: int main() {} - Entry point of the program.
• Syntax Elements: Include directives (#include <iostream>), comments, and proper formatting.
• IO Operations: Using std::cout for output.
• Returning Values: return 0; signals successful program termination.
• Compiling and Running Code: Using IDE tools, handling compilation errors indicated by IDE (e.g., missing semicolon).

Enhancing Code Visuals in CLion

• Theme Customization: Navigate Preferences > Appearance, install themes from JetBrains repository.

Course Structure and Content

• Complete Series: Divided into 3 parts:
  1. Basics: Data types, decision making, loops, functions.
  2. Intermediate: Arrays, pointers, strings, structures, enumerations.
  3. Advanced: Classes, exceptions, templates, containers.
• Project-Based Learning: Exercises and projects to reinforce learning.

Variables and Constants

• Variable Declaration: Syntax (int fileSize = 100;).
• Initialization: Variables should be initialized to avoid garbage values.
• Swapping Variables: Example code for swapping values using temporary variable.
• Constants: const double PI = 3.14; - Prevents variable from being modified.

Naming Conventions

• Styles: Snake case, Pascal case, Camel case, and Hungarian notation.
• Best Practice: Use meaningful names, camelCase for variables and PascalCase for classes.

Expressions and Operators

• Arithmetic Operators: +, -, *, /, % (modulus).
• Increment/Decrement Operators: ++, -- (prefix & postfix versions).
• Order of Operations: Follow typical mathematical precedence, parentheses can override.
• Exercise: Calculating mathematical expressions.*

Input and Output Operations

• Output (std::cout) and Input (std::cin): Basic syntax for reading and writing data from/to console.
• Example Problem: Convert temperature from Fahrenheit to Celsius.

Using the Standard Library

• Mathematical Functions: Header <cmath> provides functions like floor, ceil, pow.
• Example: Calculate the area of a circle.
• Random Numbers: Using <cstdlib> for rand and srand, importance of seeding with <ctime>.
• Exercise: Write a program to roll a dice.

Comments

• Types: Single (//) and multi-line (/* ... */).
• Best Practices: Use comments to explain why/how, not what. Avoid overcommmenting.

Conclusion of Section

• Overview: Summary of basic concepts and introduction to more advanced topics.

Next Section Preview

• Data Types: Detailed exploration of numbers, characters, booleans, and arrays.
• Numeric Systems: Binary, hexadecimal, and decimal representation in C++.
• Casting and Type Conversion: How to safely convert between different types.
• Exercise: Practical code tasks to reinforce understanding.

Happy coding! 🎉