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C++: Getting Started

Joined
8/5/14
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I am new to computer programming and would like to complete the course offered here. I would like recommendations for further material to learn from. I have almost no background in computer science. Are the video lectures completely self contained? Could someone recommend some books I could purchase to complement my studies.
 
The course is self-contained but with no computer experience you will need to read as well. I would start and then see how you get on.

Important:

variables and their scope/lifetime
functions (input and output)
main() function

Once you get the hang of these you are on your way! Good luck.
Don't hesitate to ask questions as you progress:)
 
All the books listed here are worth working through: https://isocpp.org/get-started

Yes, but:

I think these are too advanced at the moment,. C++ 11/14 is not in the current QN C++ course. Down the road is a different story.. What needs to be learned is more fundamental as in my previous post.

I do recommend Josuttis' book on STL.


Any 'how-to'/success stories of C++11 for computational finance are always welcome.
Bridging the cognitive distance between generic/vanilla code examples to relevant examples is the real challenge.

Quite a few students have no programming experience. Subjecting them to undiluted C++ books can be risky.

That's just my opinion and experience. You have to walk before you can run.
 
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@Daniel Duffy: I think PPP2 is pretty great for the "no programming experience" crowd: http://www.stroustrup.com/Programming/
It introduces C++ (pretty well; including the fundamentals you've mentioned) as a tool for introducing programming itself which exactly what's needed at this point :)

One can see that Bjarne has put a lot of thought and effort into making this introduction work well for those completely new to programming -- his thinking is outlined in "Programming in an undergraduate CS curriculum", which I think is worth a read, too: http://www.stroustrup.com/software.pdf
 
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@bigbadwolf: Sure, but PPP2 starts at a pretty basic level, too (no prior programming experience). Note that I'm not talking about TC++PL, a very different book (which definitely requires at least some level of maturity).
 
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