Welcome to our C Plus Plus Tutorial, where you’ll start your exciting journey into the world of programming with one of the most powerful and beginner-friendly languages. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to change your field, this C Plus Plus tutorial will guide you step-by-step through the basics of C++. You’ll learn how to write clean, efficient code, understand core concepts, and create your own programs from scratch.
Read this C Plus Plus Tutorial further as we explore the fundamentals of C++ in a simple and engaging way.
What Is C++?
C++ is a popular programming language known for its efficiency and flexibility. It builds on the foundations of the C language but adds features that support object-oriented programming, which helps in organizing complex software projects.
With C++, you can create everything from small applications to large-scale systems like operating systems and games. Its versatility and flexibility make it a favorite choice among developers for tasks that require high performance and fine control over system resources.
What Is Object Oriented Programming In C++?
Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) in C++ is a programming style that organizes code into objects. Each object contains data and functions that describe its behavior. OOP helps in making the code more modular, reusable, and easier to manage.
There are 4 basic pillar of OOPs that make it a great choice among developers, these 4 pillars include-
- Inheritance
- Polymorphism
- Encapsulation
- Abstraction
Let us understand each of these terms in detail which will help you to understand C Plus Plus Tutorial better.
1. Inheritance In C++
Inheritance is a key concept in object-oriented programming that allows one class to inherit properties and behaviors from another class. Consider it as a family tree where children inherit traits from their parents. In programming, a “child” class inherits attributes and methods from a “parent” class. For example, if you have a class called `Animal` with methods like `eat()` and `sleep()`, you can create a subclass called `Dog` that inherits these methods but also has additional methods like `bark()`. Inheritance promotes code reuse and helps create a logical hierarchy in your programs.
2. Encapsulation In C++
Encapsulation is about bundling the data and the methods that operate on the data into a single unit, called a class. It also involves restricting direct access to some of an object’s components, which means internal details of an object are hidden from the outside world. This is like having a remote control with buttons to perform certain actions without knowing the complex structure of inside.
3. Polymorphism In C++
Polymorphism allows objects to be treated as instances of their parent class rather than their actual class. The term means “many forms” and refers to the ability of different objects to respond to the same function call in different ways.
4. Abstraction In C++
Abstraction is the process of hiding the complex implementation details and showing only the essential features of an object. It’s like using a car: you need to know how to drive it, not how the engine works. For example, you can define an interface `Animal` with a method `makeSound()`, and different animals like `Dog` and `Cat` will implement this interface in their own way. Abstraction simplifies the complexity of your code by focusing on what an object does rather than how it does it.
C++ Features
1. Platform Independence:
C++ achieves platform independence through its ability to compile code into machine-independent binaries. This means that once you write and compile your C++ code, it can run on various platforms without any specific modifications.
2. High Performance:
C++ is known for its high performance due to several factors. It provides direct access to hardware through features like pointers and low-level memory manipulation, allowing efficient resource utilization. Additionally, its static typing and compiled nature lead to faster execution compared to interpreted languages.
3. Standard Template Library (STL):
The Standard Template Library (STL) in C++ is a powerful collection of reusable data structures and algorithms. It includes containers like vectors, lists, and maps, along with algorithms for sorting, searching, and manipulating these containers. By using the STL, developers can write efficient and concise code, This promotes code reusability and enhances productivity.
4. Memory Management:
C++ provides flexible memory management capabilities, allowing programmers to allocate and deallocate memory dynamically. The new and delete operators enable dynamic memory allocation, giving control over memory usage during runtime. However, this flexibility requires careful handling to prevent memory leaks and ensure efficient memory utilization.
5. Multiple Inheritance:
C++ supports multiple inheritance, allowing a class to inherit attributes and behaviors from multiple base classes. While this can be a powerful feature for code organization and reuse, it also introduces complexities such as the diamond problem. Careful design and usage of multiple inheritance are necessary to avoid confusion and maintain code clarity.
6. Exception Handling:
Exception handling in C++ enables developers to manage runtime errors and exceptional situations gracefully. By using try, throw, and catch blocks, you can detect and handle exceptions, preventing program crashes and ensuring robustness. Exception handling promotes cleaner code by separating error-handling logic from regular program flow.
7. Operator Overloading:
C++ allows you to redefine the behavior of operators such as +, -, *, etc., for user-defined data types. This feature, known as operator overloading, enables more interactive and expressive code, as operators can be used with custom types.
C++ Variables and Constants
Variables in C plus plus tutorial are like containers that hold data. You give them a name and a type and they store values that can change during the program. Constants, on the other hand, hold fixed values that don’t change. You declare them using the const keyword, and their value remains constant throughout the program.
C++ Data Types
Data types in C Plus Plus Tutorial is an essential term, that generally specifies about which type of Data a variable is holding. Some of the most commonly used Data types along with their uses are given below for your reference-
- Int – It is used to store integers that can be positive, negative or zero. (ex: 5, -5, 0)
- Char- This data type holds data that holds a single character or symbol. (ex: S, !)
- Float- It is a data type used to represent numbers that have a decimal point. (Ex: 3.14, 5.56, etc.)
- Bool- It is used when an answer is required in the form of true or false
- Double- It is similar to a `float` but provides double the precision, meaning it can store numbers with more decimal places. (Ex- 3.9456228)
C++ Operators
Operators in C++ perform various operations on variables and values. Let us see the table below to understand the different kinds of operators and their functions.
Operator | Example | Description |
+ | 5 + 3 | Adds two numbers |
– | 5 – 3 | Subtract the second number from first. |
* | 5 * 3 | Multiplies two numbers together. |
/ | 6 / 3 | Divide the first number by second. |
% | 5 % 3 | Gives the remainder of the Division. |
== | 5 == 5 | Checks if two values are equal. |
!= | 5 !=3 | Check that the two values are not equal. |
> | 5 > 3 | Checks if the first value is greater. |
< | 3 < 5 | Check if the first value is smaller. |
>= | 5 >= 3 | Checks if the value is greater or equal. |
C++ Control Statements
Control statements in C++ help in controlling the flow of a program based on different types of statements. Some most commonly used control statements include-
- If-else statements.
- Loop Statements.
- Switch case statements.
C++ Input Output (I/O)
Input Output in C++ refers to how a program communicates with the user or other parts of the system. For input, you use functions like cin to read data from the user, and for output, you use functions like cout to display information on the screen.
C++ Pointers
Pointers are a powerful feature in C++ that allows you to directly access and manipulate the memory addresses of variables. Understanding pointers is crucial for tasks like dynamic memory allocation, working with arrays, and creating data structures such as linked lists. Let us now understand with an example how you can create and initialize a pointer.
For Example-
int *ptr; // Declares a pointer to an integer int var = 10; ptr = &var; // ptr now holds the address of var |
C++ Array
An array in C++ is a collection of elements of the same data type stored in contiguous memory locations. It allows you to store and manipulate multiple values using a single name.
For example-
int numbers[5] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5}; |
Here In the above example, it is an array of integers having 5 elements.
C++ Strings
Strings in C++ are used to store sequences of characters. You can perform various operations on strings like concatenation (joining strings), finding the length, accessing individual characters, etc.
For Example-
String S = “Hello, World!”; |
Here in the above example, “Hello, world!” is a string of characters.
C Plus Plus Tutorial Of Code
After understanding all the important terms and terminologies related to the C++ language, let us now dive into the basic code implementing all these things learned above, Reading this below-written code will provide you with a greater understanding of the C Plus Plus Tutorial.
So, Let’s create a simple banking system for an example that allows a user to:
- Create an account.
- Deposit money.
- Withdraw money.
- Check the balance.
C Plus Plus Tutorial Code |
#include <iostream>
#include <string> using namespace std; class BankAccount { private: string accountHolder; int accountNumber; double balance; public: // Constructor to initialize a new account BankAccount(string name, int number, double initialBalance) { accountHolder = name; accountNumber = number; balance = initialBalance; } // Function to deposit money void deposit(double amount) { if (amount > 0) { balance += amount; cout << “Deposited $” << amount << “. New balance: $” << balance << endl; } else { cout << “Invalid deposit amount!” << endl; } } // Function to withdraw money void withdraw(double amount) { if (amount > 0 && amount <= balance) { balance -= amount; cout << “Withdrew $” << amount << “. New balance: $” << balance << endl; } else { cout << “Invalid withdrawal amount!” << endl; } } // Function to check balance void checkBalance() const { cout << “Current balance: $” << balance << endl; } }; int main() { int choice; string name; int number; double initialBalance; double amount; cout << “Welcome to the HDFC Banking System” << endl; cout << “Enter account holder’s name: “; getline(cin, name); cout << “Enter account number: “; cin >> number; cout << “Enter initial balance: “; cin >> initialBalance; // Create a new bank account BankAccount account(name, number, initialBalance); do { cout << “\nMenu:” << endl; cout << “1. Deposit Money” << endl; cout << “2. Withdraw Money” << endl; cout << “3. Check Balance” << endl; cout << “4. Exit” << endl; cout << “Enter your choice: “; cin >> choice; switch (choice) { case 1: cout << “Enter amount to deposit: “; cin >> amount; account.deposit(amount); break; case 2: cout << “Enter amount to withdraw: “; cin >> amount; account.withdraw(amount); break; case 3: account.checkBalance(); break; case 4: cout << “Thank you for using HDFC Banking System. Goodbye!” << endl; break; default: cout << “Invalid choice. Please try again.” << endl; } } while (choice != 4); return 0; } |
Output Of C Plus Plus Tutorial Code
Welcome to the HDFC Banking System Enter account holder’s name: Sahil Enter account number: 12345678 Enter initial balance: 1000 Menu: 1. Deposit Money 2. Withdraw Money 3. Check Balance 4. Exit Enter your choice: 1 Enter amount to deposit: 500 Deposited $500. New balance: $1500 Menu: 1. Deposit Money 2. Withdraw Money 3. Check Balance 4. Exit Enter your choice: 2 Enter amount to withdraw: 200 Withdrew $200. New balance: $1300 Menu: 1. Deposit Money 2. Withdraw Money 3. Check Balance 4. Exit Enter your choice: 3 Current balance: $1300 Menu: 1. Deposit Money 2. Withdraw Money 3. Check Balance 4. Exit Enter your choice: 4 Thank you for using HDFC Banking System. Goodbye! |
This program is a simple yet comprehensive example that covers the fundamental concepts of C++ and demonstrates their application in solving a real-life problem.
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C Plus Plus Tutorial FAQs
How do I compile and run a C++ program?
To compile and run a C++ program, you need a compiler like GCC or a development environment like Visual Studio.
Q2) What are constructors and destructors in C++?
Constructors are special member functions that are called when an object is created. whereas, Destructors are special member functions that are called when an object is destroyed. They clean up resources used by the object.
What is a pointer in C++?
A pointer is a variable that stores the memory address of another variable. Pointers are used for dynamic memory allocation of arrays and functions. You can refer above in the article to learn how to initialize and declare pointer.