Top C++ books recommended by experts

At MentorCruise, we are all about making the most out of the experience of others. As part of that, we've connected and asked dozens of experts and professionals about their favourite C++ books – and here are the answers.

Table of Contents

Fundamentals of C++

Understanding the concepts of C++ starts with understanding the fundamentals. On your way to mastery, it's crucial for you to understand how certain concepts were derived, and why things work like they do. Starting with these resources is the best way to do so.

The Design and Evolution of C++

It explains how C++ evolved from its first design to the language in use today. It describes the key problems, design aims, language ideas, and constraints that shaped C++, and how they changed over time. Naturally, C++ and the ideas about design and programming that shaped it didn't just mutate by themselves.

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C++ Primer

C++ Primer provides an introduction to the International Standard on C++, covering both the language proper and the extensive library that is part of that standard.

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C++ coding standards

The main point of a C++ coding standard is to provide a set of rules for using C++ for a particular purpose in a particular environment. It follows that there cannot be one coding standard for all uses and all users.

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Learn C++ Quickly: A Complete Beginner's Guide to Learning C++, Even If You're New to Programming

The most successful programs of the last 30 years were developed in C++. From Microsoft Word to Facebook to Adobe Photoshop, C++ is at the heart of the most lucrative technologies in today’s world. C++ is the most powerful programming language in the modern world for one simple reason: It allows for complete control, not only of the program’s logic and graphical user interface, but of the hard…

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Head First C

Head First C is a complete learning experience that will show you how to create programs in the C language. This book helps you learn the C language with a unique method that goes beyond syntax and how-to manuals and helps you understand how to be a great programmer.

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Accelerated C++: Practical Programming by Example

Accelerated C++ introduces a radical new approach to teaching C++. It starts with the most useful concepts rather than the most primitive ones, so the student can begin writing programs immediately. It describes real problems and solutions, not just language features.

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Additional C++ Reading

These books are not required for you to learn C++, but they are highly recommended for you to deepen your knowledge.

The C++ Standard Library: A Tutorial and Reference

he C++ standard library provides a set of common classes and interfaces that greatly extend the core C++ language. The library, however, is not self-explanatory. To make full use of its components–and to benefit from their power–you need a resource that does far more than list the classes and their functions.

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The C++ Programming Language

C++ (or “C-plus-plus”) is a generic programming language for building software. It's an object-oriented language. In other words, it emphasizes using data fields with unique attributes (a.k.a. objects) rather than logic or functions.

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Effective Modern C++: 42 Specific Ways to Improve Your Use of C++11 and C++14

Coming to grips with C++11 and C++14 is more than a matter of familiarizing yourself with the features they introduce (e.g., auto type declarations, move semantics, lambda expressions, and concurrency support). The challenge is learning to use those features effectively—so that your software is correct, efficient, maintainable, and portable. That’s where this practical book comes in. It descri…

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C++ Concurrency in Action

C++ Concurrency in Action is a reference and guide to the new C++ 11 Standard for experienced C++ programmers as well as those who have never written multithreaded code. This book will show you how to write robust multithreaded applications in C++ while avoiding many common pitfalls.

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Effective STL

Highlights of Effective STL include: Advice on choosing among standard STL containers (like vector and list), nonstandard STL containers (like hash_set and hash_map), and non-STL containers (like bitset). Techniques to maximize the efficiency of the STL and the programs that use it.

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Programming: Principles and Practice Using C++

An Introduction to Programming by the Inventor of C++ Preparation for Programming in the Real World The book assumes that you aim eventually to write non-trivial programs, whether for work in software development or in some other technical field. Focus on Fundamental Concepts and Techniques The book explains fundamental concepts and techniques in greater depth than traditional introductions. T…

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Specializations and Deeper C++ Knowledge

You've got your basics in order – time to move on to some advanced and specialized concepts. C++ is evolving every day, these books can help you master it.

GPU Zen 2: Advanced Rendering Techniques

Exploring recent developments in the rapidly evolving field of game real-time rendering, GPU Zen assembles a high-quality collection of cutting-edge contributions for programming the GPU.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

C# & C++: 5 Books in 1 - The #1 Coding Course from Beginner to Advanced (2024) (Computer Programming)

In C# & C++: 5 Books in 1 - 5 Books in 1 - The #1 Coding Course from Beginner to Advanced (2024), you won't just learn C# and C++; you'll master them. This comprehensive guide is tailored for both beginners and experienced programmers, offering a bootcamp-style approach that simplifies learning with practical examples, hands-on exercises, and real-world applications.
Whether you're just sta…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Advanced Metaprogramming in Classic C++

Advanced Metaprogramming in Classic C++ aims to be both an introduction and a reference to C++ template metaprogramming (TMP); TMP is presented in the book as a set of techniques that will bring a new style in C++ and make code exceptionally clear and efficient.

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