Textbook in PDF format

Expand your C++ toolkit quickly and efficiently with this advanced resource.
In the newly revised sixth edition of Professional C++, veteran software engineer and developer Marc Gregoire delivers yet another volume that raises the bar for advanced programming manuals. Covering the major new revisions contained in the new C++ standard codenamed C++23, the book offers case studies with working code that’s been tested in Windows and Linux.
All in all, with the release of C++23 in 2023, C++ is almost 40 years old and still going strong. In most rankings of programming languages in 2023, C++ is in the top four. It is being used on an extremely wide range of hardware, going from small devices with embedded microprocessors all the way up to multi-rack supercomputers. Besides wide hardware support, C++ can be used to tackle almost any programming job, be it games on mobile platforms, performance-critical artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) software, components for self-driving cars, real-time 3-D graphics engines, low-level hardware drivers, entire operating systems, software stacks for networking equipment, web browsers, and so on. The performance of C++ programs is hard to match with any other programming language, and as such, it is the de facto language for writing fast, powerful, and enterprise-class programs. Big tech companies, such as Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon, Google, and many more, use services written in C++ to run their infrastructure. As popular as C++ has become, the language can be difficult to grasp in full. There are simple, but powerful, techniques that professional C++ programmers use that don't show up in traditional texts, and there are useful parts of C++ that remain a mystery even to experienced C++ programmers.
Too often, programming books focus on the syntax of the language instead of its real-world use. The typical C++ text introduces a major part of the language in each chapter, explaining the syntax and providing an example. Professional C++ does not follow this pattern. Instead of giving you just the nuts and bolts of the language with little practical context, this book will teach you how to use C++ in the real world. It will show you the little-known features that will make your life easier, as well as the programming techniques that separate novices from professional programmers.
The leading resource for dedicated and knowledgeable professionals seeking to advance their C++ skills, this book provides resources that help readers:
Maximize C++ capabilities with effective design solutions
Master little-known elements and learn what practices to avoid
Adopt new workarounds and testing/debugging best practices
Use real-world program segments in your own applications
Who this book is for:
Even if you have used the language for years, you might still be unfamiliar with the more advanced features of C++, or you might not be using the full capabilities of the language. Maybe you don't yet know all the new features introduced with the latest release, C++23. Perhaps you write competent C++ code but would like to learn more about design and good programming style in C++. Or maybe you're relatively new to C++ but want to learn the “right” way to program from the start. This book will meet those needs and bring your C++ skills to the professional level.
Because this book focuses on advancing from basic or intermediate knowledge of C++ to becoming a professional C++ programmer, it assumes that you have some knowledge about programming. Chapter 1, “A Crash Course in C++ and the Standard Library,” covers the basics of C++ as a refresher, but it is not a substitute for actual training in programming. If you are just starting with C++ but you have experience in another programming language such as C, Java, or C#, you should be able to pick up most of what you need from Chapter 1.
In any case, you should have a solid foundation in programming fundamentals. You should know about loops, functions, and variables. You should know how to structure a program, and you should be familiar with fundamental techniques such as recursion. You should have some knowledge of common data structures such as queues, and useful algorithms such as sorting and searching. You don't need to know about object-oriented programming just yet—that is covered in Chapter 5, “Designing with Classes.” You will also need to be familiar with the compiler you will be using to compile your code. Two compilers, Microsoft Visual C++ and GCC, are introduced later in this introduction. For other compilers, refer to the documentation that came with your compiler.
C++ is a complex and unforgiving language. Professional C++, 6th Edition, allows dedicated practitioners to remain current and abreast of the latest developments and advances