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Programming
in C++
The language behind games, systems software, and performance-critical applications. C++ taught with depth, clarity, and real-world purpose.
What You'll Learn
A full semester of programming in C++ — completed at your own pace, with no deadlines or fixed class times.
What You'll Be Able to Do
- Master variables, control structures, and functions, and define the critical role of algorithms in computational problem-solving
- Acquire skills in pseudocode for mapping out algorithmic processes and delve into essential elements of C++ programming, such as data types, loops, and arrays
- Apply object-oriented programming principles to create modular and reusable code structures through classes, inheritance, and polymorphism; and critically assess memory management and pointer manipulation for real-world software development
Major Course Topics
Course chapters and lessons
Programming in C++ has 11 chapters across 51.5 instructional hours, as listed in the course syllabus. Expand any chapter to see the lessons inside it.
- Chapters
- 11
- Lessons
- 84
- Instructional hours
- 51.5 hrs
- Semester hours
- 3
Chapter 1
Foundations of Programming Thought
- 1.1 Why Learn to Code? The Purpose and Relevance of Programming
- 1.2 Five Core Ingredients That Every Software Program Shares
- 1.3 The Relationship Between Logical Thinking and Code Structure
- 1.4 Sketching the Logic First: How Pseudocode Prevents Wasted Effort
- 1.5 Sequential Problem-Solving: Constructing Reliable Algorithms
- 1.6 The Build-Run-Fix Workflow: How Software Gets from Idea to Execution
- 1.7 How C++ Came to Be: Origins, Architecture, and Modern Relevance
Chapter 2
Setting Up and Writing Your First C++ Programs
- 2.1 What Separates C++ from Its Predecessor C?
- 2.2 Preparing Your Machine: Tools and Configuration for C++ Development
- 2.3 Professional Habits: Indentation, Annotation, and Readability Standards
- 2.4 Representing Quantities: How C++ Categorizes Numeric Information
- 2.5 Named Containers for Data: What Variables Do and Why They Exist
- 2.6 Putting Data into Variables: Techniques for Value Assignment
- 2.7 Writing and Executing Your Very First C++ Output Program
- 2.8 Number Crunching in Code: Operators, Precedence, and Arithmetic Expressions
Chapter 3
Object-Oriented Thinking and Interactive Programs
- 3.1 Procedure-Driven vs. Object-Driven Development: A Side-by-Side Comparison
- 3.2 Anatomy of OOP: How Objects, Classes, and Methods Interact
- 3.3 Embedding Object-Oriented Principles into C++ Codebases
- 3.4 Two-Way Communication: Capturing User Input and Printing Results
- 3.5 From Concept to Code: Planning and Scoping Your First C++ Project
Chapter 4
Decision-Making in Code
- 4.1 Comparing Values in Code: How Relational Expressions Produce True or False
- 4.2 Layering Multiple Conditions with AND, OR, and NOT Operators
- 4.3 Mapping Decision Paths Visually Before Writing Conditional Code
- 4.4 Routing Execution with IF, ELSE, and Combined IF-ELSE Blocks
- 4.5 Selecting Among Many Options: The Switch-Case Mechanism
- 4.6 Deeply Nested Conditions: Combining Multiple Layers of Logic
- 4.7 Real-World Decision Scenarios: Applying Conditional Logic to Practical Tasks
- 4.8 When Code Needs to Repeat: The Rationale Behind Loops
Chapter 5
Mastering Loops and Iteration
- 5.1 Counter-Based Iteration: The For Loop and How It Operates
- 5.2 Dissecting the For Loop: Step-by-Step Execution and Output Tracing
- 5.3 Running Until a Condition Fails: The While Loop Mechanism
- 5.4 Execute First, Check Later: How the Do-While Loop Differs
- 5.5 Placing Loops Inside Loops: Nested Iteration for Multi-Layered Problems
- 5.6 Interrupting and Skipping: Break, Continue, and Other Flow Controls
- 5.7 Avoiding Traps: Infinite Loops, Boundary Errors, and Debugging Strategies
- 5.8 Real-World Repetition Scenarios: Applying Loop Structures to Practical Tasks
Chapter 6
Arrays, Vectors, and Multi-Dimensional Data
- 6.1 Grouping Related Values Under One Name: Arrays and Vectors Introduced
- 6.2 Building Single-Row Collections: Declaring One-Dimensional Arrays
- 6.3 Filling Arrays with Starting Data: Initialization Approaches and Defaults
- 6.4 Feeding Array Data into Functions: Syntax and Behavioral Nuances
- 6.5 Tables in Code: Declaring and Navigating Multi-Dimensional Arrays
- 6.6 The Magic Square Puzzle: A Logic and Pattern Recognition Exercise
Chapter 7
Text Processing and String Operations
- 7.1 Single Characters and Sequences of Text: How C++ Treats Textual Data
- 7.2 Pre-Built Utilities for Slicing, Searching, and Modifying Text
- 7.3 Assembling, Editing, and Rearranging String Content Programmatically
- 7.4 The String Class Toolkit: Properties, Methods, and Practical Usage
- 7.5 Presenting Text Precisely: Alignment, Spacing, and Display Control
- 7.6 Guarding Against Bad Data: Techniques for Validating User Input
- 7.7 Applied Challenge: Building, Sorting, and Searching Dynamic Vectors
- 7.8 Applied Challenge: Integrated Exercises Combining Arrays with Text Processing
Chapter 8
Functions, Recursion, and Code Reuse
- 8.1 Dividing Programs into Callable Units: The Mechanics of Functions
- 8.2 Ready-Made Functionality: Tapping into the C++ Standard Library
- 8.3 Lifetime and Reach: Where Variables Exist and When They Disappear
- 8.4 Behind the Scenes: How the Compiler Manages Variable Storage
- 8.5 Copying vs. Linking: How Arguments Travel Between Caller and Function
- 8.6 One Function Name, Multiple Behaviors: Overloading in Action
- 8.7 Functions That Repeat Themselves: The Mechanics of Recursive Calls
- 8.8 Applied Challenge: Breaking Complex Tasks into Cooperating Functions
Chapter 9
Structs, Classes, and File Operations
- 9.1 Bundling Related Fields into One Unit: How Structs Organize Data
- 9.2 Making Structs Smarter: Adding Functions and Flexible Containers
- 9.3 Embedding Behavior Within Data Structures: Classes with Member Functions
- 9.4 Giving Objects a Starting State: Variable Initialization Inside Classes
- 9.5 Flexible Object Creation: Defining Multiple Constructor Versions
- 9.6 Simplifying Complexity: Designing Clean Interfaces with Abstract Types
- 9.7 Tracking Down Class Bugs: Frequent Mistakes and How to Resolve Them
- 9.8 Opening Channels to External Files: Stream Objects and Their Purpose
- 9.9 Sending Information Out and Pulling Information In: File Read/Write Operations
- 9.10 Applied Challenge: Building a Complete Student Record System with Classes
Chapter 10
File Management and Memory Fundamentals
- 10.1 Jumping Directly to Specific Records: Non-Sequential File Access Techniques
- 10.2 Decimal and Text Data in File Streams: Precision and Formatting Concerns
- 10.3 Applied Challenge: Designing a Simple File-Driven Record System
- 10.4 Applied Challenge: End-to-End File Operation Exercises
- 10.5 Variables That Hold Addresses: How Pointers Navigate Memory
- 10.6 The Memory Landscape: Stack, Heap, and How Programs Use Each Region
- 10.7 Borrowing and Returning Memory at Runtime: Dynamic Allocation Mechanics
- 10.8 Hunting Silent Failures: Strategies for Detecting and Eliminating Memory Leaks
- 10.9 Applied Challenge: Memory Lifecycle Drills — Allocate, Use, and Release Safely
Chapter 11
Inheritance, Polymorphism, and Advanced OOP
- 11.1 Extending Existing Blueprints: How Child Classes Inherit from Parents
- 11.2 Gatekeeping Data Access: Public, Private, and Protected Boundaries
- 11.3 Rewriting Inherited Behavior: How Derived Classes Override Parent Methods
- 11.4 Shielding Internal Details: Why Encapsulation Strengthens Software Design
- 11.5 One Call, Different Responses: How Polymorphism Enables Flexible Code
- 11.6 Applied Challenge: Hand-Crafting Linked Lists Using Pointer Chains
- 11.7 Applied Challenge: A Capstone Exercise Uniting Inheritance, Polymorphism, and Dynamic Memory
These chapters come straight from the official course syllabus, which also sets out the graded assignment and the proctored final exam.
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The language behind games, systems software, and performance-critical applications. C++ taught with depth, clarity, and real-world purpose.
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