Book Image

C++ Fundamentals

By : Antonio Mallia, Francesco Zoffoli
Book Image

C++ Fundamentals

By: Antonio Mallia, Francesco Zoffoli

Overview of this book

C++ Fundamentals begins by introducing you to the C++ compilation model and syntax. You will then study data types, variable declaration, scope, and control flow statements. With the help of this book, you'll be able to compile fully working C++ code and understand how variables, references, and pointers can be used to manipulate the state of the program. Next, you will explore functions and classes — the features that C++ offers to organize a program — and use them to solve more complex problems. You will also understand common pitfalls and modern best practices, especially the ones that diverge from the C++98 guidelines. As you advance through the chapters, you'll study the advantages of generic programming and write your own templates to make generic algorithms that work with any type. This C++ book will guide you in fully exploiting standard containers and algorithms, understanding how to pick the appropriate one for each problem. By the end of this book, you will not only be able to write efficient code but also be equipped to improve the readability, performance, and maintainability of your programs.
Table of Contents (9 chapters)
C++ Fundamentals
Preface

Introduction


Functions are a core tool in a programmer's toolkit for writing maintainable code. The concept of a function is common in almost every programming language. Functions have different names in various languages: procedures, routines, and many more, but they all have two main characteristics in common:

  • They represent a sequence of instructions grouped together.

  • The sequence of instructions is identified by a name, which can be used to refer to the function.

The programmer can call, or invoke a function when the functionalities provided by the function are needed.

When the function is called, the sequence of instructions is executed. The caller can also provide some data to the function to be used in operations within the program. The following are the main advantages of using functions:

  • Reduces repetition: It often occurs that a program needs to repeat the same operations in different parts of the codebase. Functions allow us to write a single implementation that is carefully tested...