C++ Complete Guide
1. Introduction to C++
• Developed by Bjarne Stroustrup in 1979 at Bell Labs.
• Extension of C with Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) features.
• Combines low-level programming (like C) with high-level abstractions.
• Portable, efficient, and widely used for system software, game development, real-time
simulations, AI, competitive programming, etc.
2. Features of C++
• Object-Oriented: Supports classes, inheritance, polymorphism, abstraction, and encapsulation.
• Platform Independent: Write once, compile anywhere.
• Performance: Near hardware-level speed with optimization.
• Memory Management: Manual (using new and delete ) and automatic (RAII).
• Multi-Paradigm: Procedural + OOP + Generic programming.
• Standard Template Library (STL): Predefined data structures and algorithms.
• Rich Library Support: Extensive built-in functions.
3. Structure of a C++ Program
#include <iostream>
using namespace std;
int main() {
cout << "Hello, World!";
return 0;
}
Explanation:
• #include <iostream> – Header for input/output.
• using namespace std; – Allows using standard functions without std:: .
• main() – Entry point.
• cout – Output to console.
• return 0; – End of program.
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4. Data Types
• Basic: int , float , double , char , bool
• Derived: array , pointer , function
• User-defined: struct , class , enum , typedef
5. Variables & Constants
int age = 18;
const float PI = 3.14;
• Variables store data.
• Constants hold fixed values.
6. Operators
• Arithmetic: + , - , * , / , %
• Relational: == , != , < , >
• Logical: && , || , !
• Bitwise: & , | , ^ , << , >>
• Assignment: = , += , -=
• Ternary: condition ? expr1 : expr2
7. Control Statements
if (x > 0) cout << "Positive";
else cout << "Negative";
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) cout << i;
while (n > 0) { cout << n; n--; }
do { cout << n; } while (n > 0);
switch(choice) {
case 1: cout << "One"; break;
default: cout << "Other";
}
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8. Functions
int add(int a, int b) { return a + b; }
• Types:
• Built-in functions
• User-defined
• Inline functions ( inline keyword)
• Function overloading
• Recursion
9. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP)
Classes & Objects
class Car {
public:
string brand;
int speed;
void drive() { cout << brand << " is driving"; }
};
Car obj;
obj.brand = "BMW";
obj.drive();
Constructors & Destructors
class Student {
public:
Student() { cout << "Object created"; }
~Student() { cout << "Object destroyed"; }
};
Inheritance
class Animal { public: void eat() { cout << "Eating"; } };
class Dog : public Animal { public: void bark() { cout << "Barking"; } };
Polymorphism
• Compile-time (Overloading)
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• Run-time (Overriding with virtual functions)
class Base { public: virtual void show() { cout << "Base"; } };
class Derived : public Base { public: void show() override { cout <<
"Derived"; } };
Encapsulation
• Using private/protected/public access specifiers.
Abstraction
• Achieved using abstract classes and interfaces.
10. Pointers
int x = 10;
int *ptr = &x;
cout << *ptr; // 10
• Special variables that store memory addresses.
11. Arrays & Strings
int arr[5] = {1,2,3,4,5};
string name = "Shreyansh";
• Multi-dimensional arrays supported.
• string class has methods like .length() , .substr() , .append() .
12. File Handling
#include <fstream>
ofstream file("data.txt");
file << "Hello File";
file.close();
• ifstream for reading.
• ofstream for writing.
• fstream for both.
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13. Exception Handling
try {
int a = 10, b = 0;
if (b == 0) throw "Division by zero!";
cout << a / b;
} catch (const char* e) {
cout << e;
}
14. Templates (Generic Programming)
template <class T>
T add(T a, T b) { return a + b; }
• Functions and classes can be defined with generic types.
15. Standard Template Library (STL)
• Containers: vector , list , map , set , stack , queue
• Algorithms: sort() , find() , binary_search()
• Iterators: Pointers for traversing containers.
16. Memory Management
• Dynamic Allocation: new , delete
• Example:
int *ptr = new int(5);
delete ptr;
• Smart Pointers ( unique_ptr , shared_ptr , weak_ptr )
17. Advanced Concepts
• Lambda Functions
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auto add = [](int a, int b) { return a + b; };
• Namespaces to avoid conflicts.
• Multithreading ( #include <thread> )
• Move semantics & Rvalue references (C++11)
• Auto keyword for type deduction.
18. Applications of C++
• Game Development (Unreal Engine)
• Operating Systems (Windows, Linux kernel parts)
• Compilers
• Database Software (MySQL)
• High-performance applications (Stock trading, Simulations)
• Embedded Systems
19. Advantages
• High performance.
• Flexibility.
• Large community support.
• Reusable code with OOP.
20. Disadvantages
• Manual memory management (risk of leaks).
• Steeper learning curve than Python/Java.
• Compilation time is longer for large projects.
✅ C++ remains one of the most powerful and versatile programming languages, balancing
performance with abstraction.
