C++ for Everyone

This book is an introduction to C++ and computer programming that focuses on the essentials, and on effective learning. The book is designed to serve a wide range of student interests and abilities and is suitable for a first course in programming for computer scientists, engineers, and students in other disciplines. No prior programming experience is required, and only a modest amount of high school algebra is needed. Here are the key features of this book:

Guidance and worked examples help students succeed. Beginning programmers often ask “How do I start? Now what do I do?” Of course, an activity as complex as programming cannot be reduced to cookbook-style instructions. However, step-by-step guidance is immensely helpful for building confidence and providing an outline for the task at hand. “Problem Solving” sections stress the importance of design and planning. “How To” guides help students with common programming tasks. Additional Worked Examples are available online.

Practice makes perfect. Of course, programming students need to be able to implement nontrivial programs, but they first need to have the confidence that they can succeed. This book contains a substantial number of self-check questions at the end of each section. “Practice It” pointers suggest exercises to try after each section. At the end of each chapter, you will find a great variety of programming assignments, ranging from simple practice problems to realistic applications.

teach computer science principles, not just c++ or object-orientation. This book uses the C++ programming language as a vehicle for introducing computer science concepts. A substantial subset of the C++ language is covered, focusing on the modern features of standard C++ that make students productive. The book takes a traditional route, stressing control structures, procedural decomposition, and array algorithms, before turning to the design of classes in the final chapters.

A visual approach motivates the reader and eases navigation. Photographs present visual analogies that explain the nature and behavior of computer concepts. Step-by-step figures illustrate complex program operations. Syntax boxes and example tables present a variety of typical and special cases in a compact format. It is easy to get the “lay of the land” by browsing the visuals, before focusing on the textual material.

Focus on the essentials while being technically accurate. An encyclopedic coverage is not helpful for a beginning programmer, but neither is the opposite, reducing the material to a list of simplistic bullet points. In this book, the essentials are presented in digestible chunks, with separate notes that go deeper into good practices or language features when the reader is ready for the additional information. You will not find artificial over-simplifications that give an illusion of knowledge.

Visual features help the reader with navigation.