Introduction to Programming and C++ Basics for Non-Programmers

Course Objectives

This “skills-centric” course is about 50% hands-on lab and 50% lecture, designed to train attendees in basic coding with C++, coupling the most current, effective techniques with the soundest industry practices. Working in a hands-on learning environment, guided by our expert team, attendees will learn:

• Learn about basic computer architecture (memory, CPU, IO)
• Gain basic knowledge of the C++ programming language, features and functions in today’s development initiatives
• Gain hands-on practice using C++ basic syntax and functions to build basic software applications
• Learn about Object Oriented development and best practices
• Learn and apply core development functions such as dynamic memory, inheritance, value type / reference types, exceptions and more
• Get a light introduction to the C++ Standard Library
• Gain skills required to exit the course with a foundation in basic programming skills and C++ knowledge to carry forward to additional study and practice.

Course Prerequisites

This basic course is intended for anyone who is new to software development and wants, or needs, to gain an understanding of the fundamentals of coding and basics of C++ and object-oriented programming concepts.

Attendees might include:

This course is intended for anyone who is new to software development and wants, or needs, to gain an understanding of the fundamentals of coding and basics of C++ and object-oriented programming concepts. This course is for Non-Developers, or anyone who wants to have a basic understanding of and learn how to code C++ applications and syntax

Attendees might include:

• Anyone who wants exposure to basic coding skills, or who wants to begin the process of becoming an OO application developer
• Technical team members from non-development roles, re-skilling to move into software and application development roles within an organization
• Recent college graduates looking to apply their college experience to programming skills in a professional environment, or perhaps needing to learn the best practices and standards for programming within their new organization
• Technical managers tasked with overseeing programming teams, or development projects, where basic coding knowledge and exposure will be useful in project oversight or communications needs

Pre-Requisites

Before attending this course, students must have:

• Ability to use computers to start programs, open and save files, navigate application menus and interfaces
• Ability to understand logical concepts such as comparisons
• Understand number theory
• Ability to create, understand, and follow structured directions or step-by-step procedures
• Ability to understand and apply abstract concepts to concrete examples

Outline

Getting Started with Computer Programming Basics

1. Getting Started

· Overview of computing

· Understanding data types

2. Programming Tools

· Overview of tools used in C++ programming

· Explain why we use various tools when programing

3. Programming Basics

· C++ Syntax fundamentals

· Basic program elements

· Primitive data types in C++

· Literal types and variables

· Auto variables

· C++ Source files – headers, compile units

· Program flow

· If/else

· Loops

· Intro Functions

4. Data Structures

· Structures

· Arrays

5. Functions

· Return types

· Parameters

· Calling functions

· Overloaded functions

6. Pointers & Memory

· Understanding pointers

· Taking an address

· Dereferencing pointers

· Pointer operations

· Pass by Value/Passing pointers

· Default argument values

· Inline functions

7. Namespaces

· Overview

· The problem

· Defining a namespace

· Using a namespace

· Aliases

· Nested Namespaces in C++ 20

8. Strings

· Overview

· Using strings

· String methods

· String operators

· Strings and char*

9. Input and Output

· Overview

· ostream and istream

· Reading and writing to the console

· Reading and writing files

· Manipulators

Getting Started with OO / Object-Orientation

10. Intro Object-Oriented Features

· Overview of O-O concepts

· Defining a class in C++

· Encapsulation

· Class members

· Member functions

· Class organization

· Inline

· Friends

· this

· Class vs type

11. Dynamic Memory

· Memory concepts

· References

· Passing by value or reference

· new

· delete

· Construction/Destruction

· Initializer lists

· Copy constructor

· const & constexpr

12. A Practical Example

· Planning an application

· Defining an algorithm

· Implementing a solution

13. Templates

· Overview

· Using function templates

· Using class templates

14. Inheritance

· Base Classes

· Derived Classes

· Overriding members

· Abstract members and classes

15. Exceptions

· Throwing

· Catching

· Defining custom exceptions

Survey of C++ library components

16. Intro C++ Standard Library

· I/O classes

· Collections

· Utility