I want to learn c++ and need some advice!?

Question

Hello, i am 15 years old and after i finish my secondary school exams (GCSEs) i want to start and learn c++ for GUI programing but also for console based as well. I have read a lot about starting to learn this language and i know its very hard to learn so please don't tell me that again.
I'm very willing to become a decent/good programmer and make a living out of it; to me this is also personal i love working with computers as in my year 10 work experience i went to a computer repair business; this wasn't to do programing but at the end of the week i was offered a job out of it and work there ever since, i love it and that but i really want to start programing!

Basically i don't really have much experience in programing I've only used visual basic a couple of times and i have brought a c++ beginners book; so what is the best thing for me to do and how long does it take to become good in this language. I do know that c++ is very big and complex but I'm willing to do my best as when using visual basic 2010 i love making GUl but i need to learn the code bit and I think c++ is the best.

Thank You if you answer.

Answer 1

The best way to learn is to take a class. It is great to have the resource of the instructor to ask questions to and they can provide insight that may not be obvious in the book. Having said that, C++ is a great language, but if you really want to be a programmer, I would suggest acquiring a basic understanding of Java first. Java is what they call "strongly typed", meaning it is much harder to make unintentional errors. C++ is great because it is so complex and versatile, but it is harder for a beginner. For me, it was good to learn Java first so that I have the knowledge necessary to learn C++.



Now, if you are set on C++ and don't want to learn Java first, look through http://www.cprogramming.com/tutorial/c++-tutorial.html and your book together. Get the basics down pat. Loops, scope, arrays, pointers, functions, etc. you should know without even thinking about it. Also, a lot of programming also has to do with mathematical logic. Especially with C++, you have to gain an understanding of not just the software, but what the hardware is doing as well.



The best advice I can give you is: code! The best way to learn a programming language is to immerse yourself in it. Find something you want to do on the computer and make your own program to do it. It is a very satisfying feeling. Good luck and happy coding!

Answer 2

C++ isn't so much a hard language. It is the fact that C++ has both high-level and low-level aspects that make it more complicated. I am not sure how much you understand of how a processor works, how data is represented, etc., but those things help SO MUCH when learning something like C++. Pointers overheat people's brains when they are first starting out if they have no OOP experience, but they are extremely powerful and are simply not glossing over how the CPU handles data.



If you have a book, begin working through it, and anything that you don't feel 100% on, open an IDE and make a program using the concept. If you have any further questions on the topic, create a new program and try to make some tests to answer the question. Don't worry about a GUI for these small programs. Just the console will be fine and much faster. Also do a bit of reading on binary math and the binary operations. These are extremely helpful in C++. Also read about how memory is handled by the CPU.



As for how long it takes to become proficient, without much programming experience, I would say about 6 months to a year, because you will really be learning the language-independent skill of "programming" while you are learning the C++ language.



If you like GUI programming, check out Qt. It is pretty much the industry standard cross-platform GUI framework for C++.

Answer 3

15 with 10 yrs work experience sounds like extrapolation.



No sweat : c , c++ or any other programming language is easy ... What defines us logic and basics



You don't need to mug up any complex data structure etc just think how it is getting executed



Well hello world to systems and driver may take time but in journey initial steps and clarity matters ... Who knows some day using much clarity on simple memory allocation , pointers , operators , loop , conditional statement you may define the programming pattern and structure more acceptable and efficient than any existing one.

Basics of core programming language can be considered and define just like foundation of building

Answer 4

use this site. this is what I used to start learning c++, some of the tutorials are pointless by them selves in the way that they dont teach you to write a huge software program but they will teach you thoroughly, how to write c++ properly. I think he does have a c++ gui tutorial section though but do the c++ section first



http://thenewboston.org/tutorials.php



yes c++ is a hard language but seeing as nearly all software, past and present has a base layer of c/c++, if you can master it then you'll never be out of work. which is why I'm doing it :D