Learning C++

A detailed learning plan for advanced C++:

Prerequisites:

•  Solid understanding of the C++ basics, including:

• Variables, data types, and operators
• Functions, classes and objects
  
• Object-oriented programming concepts
• Memory management

• Experience with object-oriented programming (OOP).
• Familiarity with using a compiler and debugger.
• Experience with programming in C++

Recommended resources:

• Books:
  • C++ Core Guidelines by Herb Sutter and Bjarne Stroustrup
  • More Effective C++ by Scott Meyers
  • C++ Primer (5th Edition) by Stanley B. Lippman, Josée Lajoie, and Barbara E. Moo
  • The C++ Programming Language (4th Edition) by Bjarne Stroustrup
  • Effective Modern C++ (4th Edition) by Scott Meyers
  •  
• Online courses:
  • C++ In-Depth by Google
  • C++20: The Complete Guide by Udemy
  • C++: Beyond the Basics by Coursera
  • C++ Specialization by Coursera
  • Advanced C++ Programming by Udemy
  •  
• Tutorials and articles:
  • cppreference.com
  • C++ Standard Library Tutorial by GeeksforGeeks
  • C++ for C Programmers by TutorialsPoint
  • C++ Tutorials on GeeksforGeeks
  • C++ Articles on Stack Overflow
  • C++ Blogs
    

Learning plan:

1. Master the C++ Standard Library (STL). The STL is a collection of generic algorithms and data structures that can be used to solve a wide variety of programming problems. It is important to have a good understanding of the STL in order to write efficient and reusable C++ code.
2. Learn about advanced C++ features, such as templates, metaprogramming, and generic programming. These features can be used to write more powerful and flexible C++ code.
3. Study the design patterns of the C++ language. Design patterns are reusable solutions to common programming problems. Learning about C++ design patterns can help you to write better code and avoid common pitfalls.
4. Practice writing C++ code. The best way to learn C++ is by doing. Try to find projects that interest you and work on them in your spare time. You can also participate in online coding challenges and competitions.

Here are some specific topics that you may want to cover in your advanced C++ learning plan:

• STL containers: Learn about the different types of STL containers, such as vectors, lists, maps, and sets. Learn how to use these containers to store and manipulate data efficiently.
• STL algorithms: Learn about the different types of STL algorithms, such as sorting, searching, and filtering algorithms. Learn how to use these algorithms to process data efficiently.
• Templates: Learn how to use templates to write generic C++ code. Templates can be used to write code that is reusable for different types of data.
• Metaprogramming: Learn about metaprogramming, which is the ability to write code that writes code. Metaprogramming can be used to write more powerful and flexible C++ code.
• Generic programming: Learn about generic programming, which is a programming paradigm that allows you to write code that is independent of the specific types of data that it will be used with. Generic programming can be used to write more reusable and efficient C++ code.
• Design patterns: Learn about the different types of C++ design patterns, such as the singleton pattern, the observer pattern, and the factory pattern. Learn how to use these design patterns to write better code and avoid common pitfalls.

Here are the topics grouped based on the complexity:

Topics

• Intermediate C++
  • Templates
  • Generic programming
  • Exception handling
  • Lambda expressions
  • Smart pointers
• Advanced C++
  • The Standard Template Library (STL)
  • Concurrency and multithreading
  • Metaprogramming
  • Asynchronous programming
  • Performance optimization
• Application areas
  • Game development
  • Embedded systems
  • High-performance computing
  • Machine learning
  • Financial computing

  Learning activities

• Work through the topics in a book or online course.
• Solve C++ coding problems on websites like HackerRank and LeetCode.
• Build your own C++ projects, such as a game, a web application, or a command-line tool.
• Contribute to open source C++ projects.

Timeline

The amount of time it takes to learn advanced C++ will depend on your prior programming experience and how much time you can commit to learning. However, if you follow the learning plan above and dedicate a few hours each week to studying, you should be able to reach an advanced level of C++ within a year or two.

Tips

• Focus on learning the concepts, not just the syntax. C++ has a complex syntax, but it's important to understand the concepts behind the syntax so that you can write efficient and idiomatic C++ code.
• Practice regularly. The best way to learn C++ is by practicing regularly. Try to write some C++ code every day, even if it's just for a few minutes.
• Don't be afraid to ask for help. There are many online forums and communities where you can ask for help with C++. If you're stuck on a problem, don't be afraid to ask for help from other C++ programmers.

  Detailed Learning plan:

  1. Generic programming

• Learn about templates and how to use them to write generic code.
• Learn about the STL and how to use it to implement common data structures and algorithms.
• Learn about metaprogramming and how to use it to write code that generates code.

2. Advanced object-oriented programming

• Learn about design patterns and how to use them to design better software.
• Learn about exception handling and how to use it to handle errors gracefully.
• Learn about RTTI and how to use it to inspect and manipulate objects at runtime.

3. Concurrency and parallelism

• Learn about threads and how to use them to write concurrent programs.
• Learn about mutexes, semaphores, and condition variables and how to use them to synchronize threads.
• Learn about common concurrency pitfalls and how to avoid them.

4. Performance and optimization

• Learn how to use profilers to identify performance bottlenecks in your code.
• Learn about memory management techniques and how to use them to avoid memory leaks and other performance problems.
• Learn about common data structures and algorithms and how to choose the right ones for your needs.

5. Advanced C++ features

• Learn about move semantics and how to use them to improve the performance and correctness of your code.
• Learn about lambdas and how to use them to write more concise and expressive code.
• Learn about smart pointers and how to use them to manage memory safely.
• Learn about range-based for loops and how to use them to iterate over sequences more efficiently.
• Learn about C++20 features and how to use them to improve your code.

Project-based learning:

The best way to learn advanced C++ is by doing. Once you have a good understanding of the basic concepts, start working on projects that challenge you. This could be anything from building a simple game to developing a complex distributed system.

As you work on your projects, you will encounter new challenges and learn new things. Don't be afraid to ask for help from other developers or to use online resources. The important thing is to keep learning and keep practicing.

Here are some project ideas for advanced C++:

• Build a web server
• Write a game engine
• Develop a compiler or interpreter
• Implement a distributed system
• Build a database
• Develop a machine learning library