Welcome to Programming in C++
So after much wrangling, and weighing, you have decided to learn how to program in C++.
Congratulations! You are just one unlucky fellow, like seriously. Don't mind me.
Now, where to start? You will agree with me that the right tools can make the process both
fun and pleasantly easy, and of course the wrong tools can make it feel like a bad marriage.

So as a beginner what do you really need? A good compiler - check!, a not-so-ugly text
editor *(coughs Emacs)*, and of course an easy-to-follow textbook (or pdf, e-book,
whatever) - double check! Now let's examine these choices one after the other.

0. A Good Compiler
Is an IDE the way to go? Maybe, maybe not. From me to someone just beginning that journey, DON'T
USE AN IDE! YOU WILL LOSE YOUR SOUL IF YOU USE AN IDE. Use Cygwin (http://www.cygwin.org) or MinGW
(just google). Hell, there is even Clang (or whatever that means). Use Cygwin friend, Cygwin is
basically UNIX on Windows. Depending on feedback I will post an article on how to set up Cygwin.

1. Text Editor
There are lots of choices out there. I mean, the list is enormous!!! Coming from an Emacs background,
I have to say that Micro$oft did a very good job with VSCode. And I've been using Emacs for a very very
long time, 6 months. Visual Studio Code is not perfect, but it's adequate. Very adequate. Very very adequate.
Very ... Visual Studio Code (http://code.visualstudio.com) is one of the coolest things "I've" seen Micro$oft
do in a long time now (the last cool stuff they did was destroying Nokia - Thank you M$). I can even open my
shell environment from within the editor. `Ctrl`+`Shift`+`C` and I have mintty smiling at me. In all authority,
I say use VSCode as your text editor. Even right now I'm typing this in VSCode, and if you want to know how it
appeared on http://nairaland.com, email me.

2. TextBook
This is a bit tricky. A textbook definitely goes a long way in easing the learning process. While some authors
assume their readers have a Maths major, others make it fairly easy while still making their point. Who better to
learn from than the creator of C++ himself? Ladies and Guyies after a bitter history of jumping from one material to
the other, I've finally found Satan Christ! And I say that the best text to use (for a learner) is Programming Principles
and Practice Using C++ [2nd Edition] by Bjarne Stroustrup. The drills and exercises definitely is its selling point
(its biggest selling point). If I can follow this text, then you definitely can. Buy it if you can afford, or just get it
from Pirate Bay like I did (I'll give back one day, I know it!). Remember it's 2nd Edition - the first edition came out
like 100 years ago (2009).

CONCLUSION
Compiler - Cgywin, MinGW
Editor - Visual Studio Code
Textbook - Programming Principles and Practice [2nd Edition] by Bjarne Stroustrup

Google is always your friend. Using these tools from experience simplified a lot of things for me and even made me feel
smarter. And as beginners, little things like this can put you off or make you carry on. I'm basically out of ideas on how
to conclude this article. So...
What do you think?

thanks

You are welcome

Please, do you know how I can download C++ into my system, I really need it. Thanks so much.

Linkzy:
Please, do you know how I can download C++ into my system, I really need it. Thanks so much.

You can use this link to get codeblocks ide for c++ in addition to MingW C++ compiler https://sourceforge.net/projects/codeblocks/files/Binaries/17.12/Windows/codeblocks-17.12mingw-setup.exe/download

BlueMagnificent:


You can use this link to get codeblocks ide for c++ in addition to MingW C++ compiler https://sourceforge.net/projects/codeblocks/files/Binaries/17.12/Windows/codeblocks-17.12mingw-setup.exe/download

Any guide for devs who want quick grasp to C++, I switch to i3wm and it's lovely want to use C++ to try on some modules for it.

pcguru1:


Any guide for devs who want quick grasp to C++, I switch to i3wm and it's lovely want to use C++ to try on some modules for it.

None That I'm sure of for now but I believe http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/ should be helpful

programming is fun but I find it hard to comprehend. I seriously want to understand it. have downloaded java tutorial video still I can't understand. what are easily steps of learning it?

Eberechi24:
programming is fun but I find it hard to comprehend. I seriously want to understand it. have downloaded java tutorial video still I can't understand. what are easily steps of learning it?

First, just don't think too hard about it. Get a good book or video on the Language of your choice (I prefer books though). Next, take it one step at a time, begin from the beginning and progress gradually. Don't let your mind deceive you that in a month time you will be able to build the next powerful AI or a blockkchain engine that no one can exploit. No! Don't fall for that trap, keep your fantasies by the side . Start it gradually, one step at a time. Definitely you will lose interest along the line and be most certainly discouraged but be sure to always come back early and continue where you left.

*this is from experience

BlueMagnificent:


First, just don't think too hard about it. Get a good book or video on the Language of your choice (I prefer books though). Next, take it one step at a time, begin from the beginning and progress gradually. Don't let your mind deceive you that in a month time you will be able to build the next powerful AI or a blockkchain engine that no one can exploit. No! Don't fall for that trap, keep your fantasies by the side . Start it gradually, one step at a time. Definitely you will lose interest along the line and be most certainly discouraged but be sure to always come back early and continue where you left.

*this is from experience

aww, thanks for the motivation. I will keep trying. thanks