C++ learning advice?

[jayctech]

I'm looking to start learning C++. I'm looking for a site which has projects of varying difficulty (both a project suggestion + "solution" code). No real reason why. I learnt a bit of Java when I was at uni earlier this year and I really enjoyed it but from what I've heard C++ is "better" so I'm quite interested in learning that (if the site also had projects for Java too that'd be great).

Also wondering what people's favourite way of coding is. When I was learning Java I just used a text editor to write it and then compiled it in the terminal on an Ubuntu computer. Was wondering if there are any good IDE's people are fond of (eg Visual Studio Express). My preferred OS for this is Windows mainly because my main desktop computer is Windows and I don't care to install Ubuntu or another Linux distro on it too.

 

All comments appreciated.

[Midnight]

I wouldn't say C++ is "better" than Java because it's too subjective. I would say it's more flexible and faster though.

 

For Windows, Visual Studio is the best IDE for C++.

[madknight3]

Project Euler has a large number of problems to work through. Once you've solved a problem, you can view their explanation (uses pseudocode) and you can also look through the discussions about it where people tend to post their code of the solution. You'll get a variety of languages and C++ is likely to be among them.

 

Here are some more sites with problems of varying difficulties. I believe all of them either provide answers or let you see other users answers who solved the problem. 

• http://www.codechef.com/problems/easy
• https://www.hackerrank.com/
• http://www.topcoder.com/

Many of these sites should provide some problems that are acceptable for a beginner, however many of the problems will require intermediate - advanced knowledge of mathematics or computer science topics.

 

While these sites will let you practice and view answers, they don't specifically teach you C++. So here are some additional resources for books and tutorials if you need it.

• Great source for books you http://stackoverflow.com/a/388282/1765721
• Online resources/tutorials http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/14904-ultimate-programming-resources-thread/

[Darko_Nerivar]

I wouldn't say C++ is "better" than Java because it's too subjective. I would say it's more flexible and faster though.

 

For Windows, Visual Studio is the best IDE for C++.

Correction:

Visual Studio is the best IDE for Microsoft C++

 

Microsofts' compiler and standard differ from Programming Language C++ ISO Standard

[manon_gfx]

Correction:

Visual Studio is the best IDE for Microsoft C++

 

Microsofts' compiler and standard differ from Programming Language C++ ISO Standard

 

Well, Visual Studio's C++ compiler does support some features that are not in the official standard and is missing a lot of features that are in the C++14 standard, but I don't think it's so different to the point to call it Microsoft C++.

I mean, almost all compilers have some sort of extra or missing feature(s). Heck, if you have ever used the NDK (android), you'll find that most of the STL is missing (like not even std::vector).