Table of Contents
Looking for top C++ Books?
Well, you are at the right spot
But first, Why C++ is so popular?
The success of a good software developer is that his learning never stops. The mere number of programming languages available to learn coding is overwhelming. But most of these languages borrow their syntax from C, making it an optimal choice to study program. C++ was introduced as a successor to C and is one of the most popular languages, used by most developers worldwide. It provides the programmers with what they desire and lets them design as per their needs and enables them to use code with high mobility.
In the present tech-savvy world, it is one of the widely used languages by developers worldwide and is being adopted by business scales which has led to the rise in demand for C++. You can learn C++ from various sources like online C++ courses and institutions, but nothing can replace the books and the knowledge they provide.
C++ Books
Books are important as it allows you to read the concept and learn it by self-practice, which enhances your ability to learn things at a high speed. They give you a detailed view of each concept and are one of the perfect means to know C++.
There are lots of C++ books available in the market with a variety of options which might be confusing for the prospective buyer. This article helps you select the best books as per your needs because it provides you with the top 15 C++ Books that are suited for both beginners and professional developers who want to master the language. These books are highly recommended by C++ experts and are very helpful for students wanting to grasp C++ programming.
Top 15 C++ Books
These C++ books help you build your career in this promising field and ensure you become a good C++ software developer
1. C++ Primer (5th Edition)
Author Name: Josée Lajoie and Stanley B. Lippman
Latest Edition: 5th Edition
Publisher: Addison-Wesley
No of Pages: 976 pages
This C++ book entails
- Ideal for a new beginner wanting to know the C++ language, concepts, and techniques
- this book introduces the C++ standard library from the outset
- Helps write useful programs without mastering every aspect of the C++ language
- Covers many examples and shows how to make the best use of them
- Demonstrates current best coding styles and program design techniques through examples
- Bestselling programming tutorial and references here were completely rewritten for the new C++11 standard
- The detailed introduction to C++ helps you understand the language fast and how to use it in modern, effective ways
- The book emphasizes on demonstration of core language as its standard library to document effective, readable, and strong code.
2. C++ Pocket Reference 1st Edition
Author Name: Kyle Loudon
Latest Edition: 1st edition
Publisher: O′Reilly
No of Pages: 144 pages
This C++ book entails:
- Covers wider scope of C++ programming than other introductory books.
- Provides a practical approach to solving problems using C++
- It is a memory aid for C++ programmers, enabling them to quickly look up usage and syntax for unfamiliar and less frequently used aspects of the language
- Describes real problems and solutions and not just language features
- Covers the language and standard library together
- Helps to learn the usage of the library right from the start
- One of its best features is the book will always be handy when needed because of its small size
- It has all the necessary information on C++ types and type conversions
- It has syntax for C++ statements and pre-processor directives
- Helps declare and define classes, and manage inheritance
- Information on declarations, storage classes, arrays, pointers, strings, and expressions
- The book helps with key concepts of C++ such as namespaces and scope
- It is useful to Java and C programmers who are making the transition to C++, or for those, who find themselves occasionally programming in C++.
- It is one of the concise, easily-carried with quick references to the C++ language books available.
3. A Complete Guide to Programming in C++
Author: Ulla Kirch-Prinz
Edition: 1st Edition
Publisher : Jones and Bartlett Publishers
No of pages: 848 pages
This C++ book entails:
- It is useful for both students and professionals
- Detailed analysis of essential qualities of the object-oriented C++ programming language.
- Covers everything from primary language ideas to experienced programming advancement
- Elaborately explains C++ language components
- Provides guidance on documentation of functions and exhibits the difference between pointers and arrays
- You can learn all about Fundamentals, Fundamental types, constants and variables, using functions and classes, input and output with streams, operators for Fundamental Types, control Flow, symbolic constants and macros, Converting arithmetic types, The Standard class string, and functions.
4. Learn To Program with C++
Author: John Smiley
Latest Edition: 1st Edition
Publisher : McGraw Hill
No Of Pages: 624 pages
This C++ book entails:
- The easiest technical book to learn essential skills in programming, coding, and more
- Uses a student-instructor conversational format and starts at the beginning with crucial programming fundamentals
- It helps you learn how to identify customer needs so that you can create an application that achieves programming objectives
- Teaches about identifying clear client goals and thereby learning important programming basics to develop real-world applications.
- Helps develop your C++ skills with real-world, hands-on programming projects
- the book has details on creating and running a C++ program using Windows Notepad
- You can learn all about pointers, arrays, objects, classes, and more
- Adapt to runtime conditions with selection structures and statements
- it teaches on how to use loops to increase your programming power
5. The Design and Evolution of C++
Author: Bjarne Stroustrup
Latest Edition: 1st Edition
Publisher : Addison-Wesley
No of Pages: 480 pages
This C++ book entails:
- The book shows the classic insider’s guide to the design and evolution of the C++ programming language.
- Presents unique insights into the decisions that shaped C++ without omitting critical details or getting bogged down in technicalities
- Each and every C++ developer will learn from Stroustrup’s way of describing i.e., the importance of ‘why’s’ behind the language.
- The design and evolution of C++ are shown in an organized, easily comprehendible style that is both informative and entertaining.
- This book also delivers information and discussions of critical design decisions that will make a mark into the reader’s understanding.
- it gives information on the purposes, principles, and real-world constraints that played a role in shaping C++
- The book talks about the latest language features like templates, exceptions, run-time type information, and namespaces.
- It depicts the connection between C++ language features and the design and programming methods that are supported by C++.
6. C++: The Complete Reference Fourth Edition
Author Name: Herbert Schildt
Publisher: McGraw Hill Education
Latest Edition: 4th edition
No of Pages: 1056 pages
This C++ book entails:
- Every aspect of C++ is expertly explained using crafted explanations, insider tips, and hundreds of examples
- Detailed information on the entire C++ language, including its keywords, operators, pre-processor directives, and libraries.
- It has a synopsis of extended keywords used for NET programming.
- Suitable for both a beginning programmer and a seasoned pro where answers to all C++ questions can be found in this best resource.
- The book covers Data types and operators, Control statements, Functions, Classes and objects, Constructors and destructors, Function and operator overloading, Inheritance, Virtual functions, Namespaces, Templates, Exception handling, The I/O library, The Standard Template Library (STL), Containers, algorithms, and iterators, Principles of object-oriented programming (OOP), Runtime type ID (RTTI), the pre-processor and much more
7. Beginning C++ Through Game Programming
Author Name: Michael Dawson
Publisher : Cengage
Latest Edition: 3rd Edition
No of Pages: 352 pages.
This C++ book entails:
- It is suitable for people who likes to program games
- To read this book, no past programming experience is required but you need to read it thoroughly and research a lot
- Written for an amateur game developer or programmer where every new skill is taught through simple language and step-by-step instructions.
- While learning a new concept you get to work with a complete program
- A final game project at the end of the book helps to accumulate the knowledge you have learned
- After reading this book, you will gain a strong knowledge of this programming language.
- You can learn about Types, Variables, and Standard I/O: Lost Fortune, For Loops, Strings, and Arrays: Word Jumble, The Standard Template Library: Hangman, Functions: Mad Lib, References: Tic-Tac-Toe, Pointers: Tic-Tac-Toe 2.0, Classes: Critter Caretaker, Advanced classes and Dynamic Memory: Game Lobby and Inheritance and Polymorphism: Blackjack
8. C++ in One Hour a Day
Author: Siddhartha Rao
Publisher: Sams Publishing
Latest Edition: 8th edition
No of Pages: 800 pages
This C++ book entails:
- It gives a complete tutorial to master the basics and then move on to more advanced features and concepts.
- Completely updated for the C++14 standard, with a preview of C++17
- Presents language from a practical point of view
- Helps master the fundamentals of C++ and object-oriented programming
- Teaches how to use C++ to create faster, simpler, and more efficient C++ applications
- Helps in understanding the role of C++ features in writing efficient code using concepts like move constructors, lambda expressions, and assignment operators.
- Teaches object-oriented programming concepts such as encapsulation, abstraction, inheritance, and polymorphism
- Detailed information on the usage of Standard Template Library’s algorithms to write feature-rich and stable C++ applications.
9. C++ All-in-One for Dummies 3rd Edition
Author Name: Jeffrey M. Cogswell
Publisher: For Dummies
Latest Edition: 3rd edition
No of Pages: 864 pages
This C++ book entails:
- It is a 6 book in 1 book which has an introduction to C++, Understanding Objects and Classes, Fixing Problems, Advanced Programming, Reading and Writing Files, and Advanced C++.
- An ideal handbook for C++ programmers
- Helps you learn how to work with objects and classes
- Details on how to conquer advanced programming and troubleshooting
- Usage of lambda expressions that can make your code more concise and readable
- Has Everything you need to work in Windows, Linux, and Mac OS/X
- A tour of the essential Code-Blocks features
- Evaluating conditions in C++
- Usage of constructors and destructors
- Learn everything about Advanced C++ features
- Learning to program with the Standard Library
10. Starting Out with C++ from Control Structures to Objects plus
Author Name: Tony Gaddis
Publisher: Pearson College Div
Latest Edition: Student edition
No of Pages: 1238 pages
This C++ book entails:
- This book shows a simple and student-friendly way to teach the basics of C++
- It has Tony Gaddis’s hallmark accessible, a step-by-step presentation that helps the beginner as well as experienced developers
- Helps students understand the important details necessary to become skilled programmers at an introductory level
- Helps in understanding the important concepts of the C++ programming language.
- Easy and accessible approach ensuring that students understand the logic behind developing high-quality programs.
- The book covers control structures, functions, arrays, and pointers before objects and classes.
- With its many practical, real-world examples the book makes it easy-to-read codes
- An abundance of exercises in every chapter
- The book has a new chapter that has completely rewritten and expanded material on the Standard Template Library (STL).
11. A Tour of C++ (C++ In-Depth Series) 1st Edition
Author Name: Stroustrup Bjarne
Publisher: Addison-Wesley
Latest Edition: 1st edition
No of Pages: 181 pages
This C++ book entails:
- It is a concise, self-contained guide that gives a clear idea of what constitutes modern C++
- The book covers most major language features and the major standard-library components
- Presents the C++ features in the context of the programming styles they support, such as object-oriented and generic programming.
- Covers the basics and more advanced topics, including many that are new in C++11, such as move semantics, uniform initialization, lambda expressions, improved containers, random numbers, and concurrency.
- The book has discussion on the design and evolution of C++ and also about the extensions added for C++11.
- Ideal for a C or C++ programmer wanting greater familiarity with the current C++ language
- Gives an accurate picture of the nature and benefits of modern C++,
12. Effective Modern C++
Author Name: Scott Meyers
Publisher: O′Reilly
Latest Edition: 1st edition
No of Pages: 336 pages
This C++ book entails:
- The book contains information broken into guidelines called items
- The Items in this book are guidelines, not rules because guidelines have exceptions
- The most important and useful part of each Item is not the advice it offers, but the reason and logic behind the advice.
- After reading this book, you’ll be in a position to determine whether the circumstances of your project justify a violation of the Item’s guidance
- Describes the effective application of C++11 and C++14 features
- Gives accurate guidelines on how to employ the modern C++ features to create correct, efficient, maintainable, and portable software.
- The true aim of this book is not to tell you what you should do or what to avoid but to give you a deeper understanding of how things work in C++11 and C++14.
Also Read: A Guide to Prime Number Program in C
13. C++ Standard Library, The: A Tutorial And Reference 2nd Edition
Author Name: Nicolai Josuttis
Publisher: Addison-Wesley
Latest Edition: 2nd edition
No of Pages: 1136 pages
This C++ book entails:
- The book gives a set of common classes and interfaces that greatly extend the core C++ language
- It provides detailed information about each library component with also an added introduction to its purpose and design
- Has clearly written explanations of complex concepts, the practical programming details needed for effective use
- Tells about signature and definition of the most important classes and functions, and numerous examples of working code
- Particularly focuses on the Standard Template Library (STL), examining containers, iterators, function objects, and STL algorithms.
- The book covers all the new C++11 library components, including Concurrency, Fractional arithmetic, Clocks and timers, Tuples, New STL containers, New STL algorithms, New smart pointers, new locale facets, Random numbers and distributions, Type traits and utilities, and Regular expressions
- Examines the new C++ programming style and its effect on the standard library, including lambdas, range-based for loops, move semantics, and variadic templates.
14. Accelerated C++: Practical Programming by Example 1st Edition
Author Name: Mike Hendrickson
Publisher: Addison-Wesley
Latest Edition: 1st edition
No of Pages: 352 pages
This C++ book entails:
- This C++ book approaches the subject of C++ from a different angle. It does not give fundamentals of the language and instead, emphasizes on high-level C++ strategies and implementations that are being used in computer programs worldwide
- The book has a unique feature. It teaches C++ upside down, i.e., starting from the end and moving towards the basics.
- Dwells more on practical aspects than the theoretical
- Teaches the learners to code immediately without having to spend time on the how and the why
- Unlike other books that teach you to code after you have learned the meanings, this book starts straight from the samples, wherein you start practicing coding
- Teaches you how to design with customized templates and other features of C++ such as vectors and linked listings
- Topics covered are basic string handling, loop, and flow-control statements, arrays, functions and methods, iterators, file I/O, operator overloading, inheritance, polymorphism, and virtual functions
- Introduces both the highly complex topics and practices along with the most-common concepts being used by professionals
- Replete with effective examples that help test the learner’s knowledge thoroughly, Accelerated C++ is best for those with limited time.
15. C++: A Detailed Approach to Practical Coding
Author Name: Nathan Clark
Publisher: Nathan Clark
Latest Edition: 3rd edition
No of Pages: 153 pages
This C++ book entails:
- Serves as a teaching guide and also as a reference manual of practical C++ programming
- In this book, each and every topic is broken down into small concise sections that have their concept explained in detail.
- Details on available variations and types, what the various return values mean, and how to avoid common errors.
- Each concept is accompanied by one or more examples making it easy to understand and comprehend
- Has 86 practical examples where each example is broken down to its basic workings and outputs are provided for you to compare with your own results
- Focuses on the specific syntax in each topic, as well as alternatives
- Key topics covered are Data Types, Variable Scope, Constants, and Literals, Modifier Types, Operators, Numbers, Strings, Functions, Classes and Objects, Arrays, Pointers, Data Structure, and Date and Time.
Conclusion
The main reason to learn C++ is that, it acts as a solid foundation for entry into the programming world. It is the most primary and strong programming language that every programmer has to have knowledge of. Many people are opting for C++ as a career choice because of its rising popularity and growing need for professional coders. C++ is rewarding if you learn the language well enough. Hence it is very important to look for good suitable books. Whether you are a hobbyist developer or a student, learning any programming language without books is impossible. These C++ books discussed above are the most suitable books to comprehend C++ programming for novices, junior programmers, and experts and would serve as an important addition to your library.
FAQ’S
Q.1 Can I learn C++ from books?
Ans: Yes. Books are a wonderful source to learn anything you want to know but you have to put in the effort. Books help you a lot with later reference. Depending on your preferences you can select from a wide range of options available in books.
Q.2 Is a C++ programming book published 20 years back obsolete or still valid?
Ans: You can’t call it obsolete if you are a newbie to the programming world because you can learn all the basics from these books. But C++ is constantly evolving and if you want to learn new concepts look out for books with recent editions., because the more up-to-date the better.
Q.3 Is C++ a proprietary language?
Ans: No. No one owns the C++ language. Anyone can use the language royalty-free.
Q.4 What is the best book to learn C++?
Ans: It depends on your reasons for looking for the books, whether you are a newbie or an already established programmer looking for books to improve your skills. Please go through this blog for a detailed review of the top 15 C++ books that cater to all types of requirements and will be of help to you before buying the book.
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