Are you looking to improve your C++ proficiency, whether for career advancement, software projects or just personal growth? With so many options, choosing the right book can be tricky. The ideal C++ book properly teaches key topics with beginner-friendly explanations as well as plenty of examples and practice problems.
In this guide, I share my top recommendations for the best C++ books at all skill levels. As a software engineer with over 10 years of C++ experience, I evaluate each book on how effective it is for mastering C++ skills. Let‘s dive in!
Why Learn C++?
But first – why learn C++ at all? Well, here are some compelling reasons:
High-Performance: C++ is one of the fastest programming languages, making it well-suited for speed-critical software like game engines, trading systems, or embedded electronics.
Portability: C++ code can be retargeted across platforms like Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile, or cloud. This portability is enabled by rigorous standards conformance.
Universality: Virtually every major tech company uses C++, including Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft and Facebook. It remains fundamental for many domains despite newer languages.
Job Prospects: Strong C++ skills are highly valued and sought-after in the industry. The average salary for a C++ developer in the US is over $100k.
And C++ is still thriving. Here are some stats:
C and C++ remain in the top 5 popular programming languages with little change since 2018.
C++ consistently ranks in the top 5 in-demand tech skills for employers, with YoY growth rate of 150% in 2022.
So in short, now is a great time to learn C++! Let‘s look at the best books to help you do that…
Best C++ Books for Beginners
As a complete novice, you‘ll want an intro C++ book that slowly ramps up from basic concepts to more complex features. These books assume no prior experience and help absolute beginners start writing programs in C++ quickly.
1. C++ Primer (5th Edition)
C++ Primer 5th Edition is my top recommendation for beginners of any background. Many consider it the definitive guide to modern C++.
The book starts with elementary topics like basic syntax, data types and flow control. It gradually tackles more advanced language and library features at an easy-to-follow pace. Diagrams and well-commented code samples illustrate each concept.
Impressively comprehensive at over 900 pages, C++ Primer gets into details skipped by most intro books. This helps you not only learn the language, but also how to architect robust C++ software.
Some key topics covered:
- Basic language features
- Functions and functional programming
- Class design and object-oriented principles
- Templates and the standard library
- Concurrency with multi-threading
With exceptional clarity and coverage, this textbook sets the foundation to progress to intermediate and advanced C++ material. The 5th edition even includes some C++20 features.
2. Jumping into C++
For readers who prefer a faster-paced introduction, Jumping into C++ by Alex Allain is an excellent choice.
This book throws you directly into writing full C++ programs starting in Chapter 1. The hands-on examples motivate you to keep learning more about the language to expand your code.
Some of the projects you build include:
- Guessing games
- Blackjack card game
- File analyzer
- Statistics calculator
Jumping into C++ covers all the fundamentals like variables, loops, pointers and classes needed to write useful programs. It‘s refreshing for beginners to code first rather than getting drowned in theory upfront.
This engaging book makes learning C++ feel less intimidating. The readable style and practical programming focus also makes it easier to apply your new skills compared to academic textbooks.
3. C++ Crash Course
As another quick on-ramp to C++ basics, C++ Crash Course provides a high-level overview of the language in under 200 pages. It‘s the shortest book on this list and lives up to its name in condensing key concepts.
The first half explains fundamentals like data types, arrays, operators and control flow. You then learn about functions, pointers and references.
Object-oriented principles using classes and inheritance are covered in the second half. The treatment of some advanced topics is introductory since less pages are available overall.
But I like how densely packed this book is while still explaining topics clearly with useful visuals. The focused coverage gives you just what you need as a starter knowledge base to expand upon.
Best Intermediate C++ Books
Once you have a solid handle on C++ basics from an intro book, intermediate texts take your skills to the next level. They elaborate on primary concepts and expose you to new advanced techniques.
4. Effective Modern C++
Effective Modern C++ by Scott Meyers is one of the best books for advancing your C++ skills. It goes deep into features and best practices introduced in the C++11/14/17 standards.
The book contains 42 specific guidelines to help you write more idiomatic, safe and performant C++ code. Some topics covered include:
- Leveraging move semantics for faster performance
- Writing lambda expressions as function objects
- Applying the rule of zero for exception-safe code
- Understanding universal references
- Preventing race conditions with mutexes
Each guideline gets its own chapter with insightful background and rationale provided. Code examples illustrate correct application versus common pitfalls.
You‘ll gain a much stronger grasp of modern C++ capabilities from this gem. It‘s immensely helpful even for seasoned C++ programmers adapting to newer language versions.
5. C++ Concurrency in Action
Concurrency refers to different parts of a program running simultaneously on separate CPU cores. Mastering concurrency allows you to maximize compute resource utilization for blazing performance.
The aptly named C++ Concurrency in Action is the best guide to writing concurrent C++ software. It starts with background concepts like threads, mutexes and data races – building up to more advanced techniques.
Later sections cover leveraging atomic operations, avoiding deadlock through proper synchronization, implementing futures and promises, and other modern concurrency patterns.
Well-chosen examples clarify each concept so you can start applying concurrency right away. This is a must-read for any C++ developer working on performance-critical applications.
6. A Tour of C++ (3rd Edition)
Bjarne Stroustrup, creator of C++, wrote A Tour of C++ to quickly yet thoroughly teach all essential language and library features.
At only 200 pages, this textbook serves as a concise overview of everything that constitutes modern C++. It‘s perfect for intermediates needing to formalize a scattered understanding of C++ concepts.
Topics span from basic syntax, inheritance, exceptions and lambdas to the Standard Template Library and concepts like move semantics and type deduction.
The concise coverage intentionally leaves some niche topics and advanced internals to other books. But the tour gives you an effective vocabulary and baseline to then dive deeper as needed.
This newest 3rd edition includes C++20 features like modules, concepts, ranges, and coroutines. The many code snippets also make it handy to keep around for quick reference.
Best Advanced C++ Books
Once past the intermediate phase, advanced C++ books take you to the next level by revealing the true depth, expressiveness and capability of the language. These selections help solidify mastery over C++.
7. C++ Templates: The Complete Guide (2nd Edition)
Templates provide the foundation for much of C++‘s power by enabling general code to work across multiple data types. They‘re integral to major libraries like the Standard Template Library (STL).
C++ Templates: The Complete Guide is the ultimate comprehensive guide to fully utilizing templates for efficient, flexible C++ code. This 1200+ page book goes far beyond typical template introductions, covering:
- Metaprogramming techniques
- Policy-based design
- Optimizing code through templates
- Customizing allocation
- Parsing recursive grammars
- Debugging Compile-time computation
With exceptionally detailed explanation and expert insights, this book really opens your eyes to the true capabilities and depth unlocked by C++ templates.
8. C++ Programming Language (4th Edition)
Informally called just "The C++ Programming Language", this seminal work is the definitive guide to C++ written by creator Bjarne Stroustrup himself.
It offers unparalleled completeness and authority, detailing every language feature from basic syntax to low-level compiler optimizations.
With exceptional attention to detail, Stroustrup carefully explains the motivation behind each language design decision. You gain deep perspective into how features evolved and best practices for usage.
Advanced sections cover fine points ranging from hyperefficiency to standards conformance testing. Every professional C++ programmer has dog-eared copies of previous editions of this classic text.
This latest 4th edition covers modern C++11/14/17 features like smart pointers, lambdas, and concurrent programming. Any serious C++ developer should thoroughly study this end-to-end masterwork.
9. Modern C++ Design (2nd Edition)
Modern C++ Design provides advanced coverage specifically on leveraging templates for implementing design patterns, an important concept in object-oriented programming.
It‘s considered one of the most influential books in generic and meta-programming using modern templates features.
Some noteworthy topics explored include:
- Policy-based class design
- Generating code through templates
- Combining functional and object-oriented programming paradigms
- Reusing generic code through concepts like visitors, functors and adapters
This second edition has over 500 pages updated with the latest techniques for modeling concepts in code through policy classes, type lists and more.
Print Books vs eBooks
When selecting a book for studying C++, you‘ll also need to decide between a physical print book versus a digital ebook format. Here‘s a quick comparison of the two formats:
Print Books
Pros
- No eye strain from screens
- Easier focus/retention
- Take notes directly on pages
Cons
- Bulky for portability
- Difficult searching contents
eBooks
Pros
- Search functionality builtin
- Less expensive
- Easy to carry all books
Cons
- Battery/device reliance
- Distraction potential
For technical material like programming which requires deep thinking, I mildly favor print books. The tactile experience seems more compatible with intense mental focus over long reading sessions.
But ebooks offer tremendous convenience plus quick reference ability, so consider your specific needs. Combining both digital and print books is of course perfectly fine too!
Closing Thoughts
And there you have my picks for the absolute best C++ books! Whichever you choose, be sure to supplement your reading by actively practicing through coding exercises and projects. Programming is a skill that requires repetition and experience to reinforce proper technique.
Let me know in the comments about your favorite C++ learning resources as I‘m always eager to improve my recommendations!
