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The C++ Programming Language
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More than three-quarters of a million programmers have benefited from this book in all of its editions Written by Bjarne Stroustrup, the creator of C++, this is the world's most trusted and widely read book on C++. For this special hardcover edition, two new appendixes on locales and standard library exception safety (also available at www.research.att.com/ bs/) have been
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Hardcover, Special Edition, 1040 pages
Published
February 11th 2000
by Addison-Wesley Professional
(first published 1986)
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Zero-overhead Abstraction: "The C++ Programming Language" by Bjarne Stroustrup
(Original Review, 2001)
Back in the day, I started programming AMOS on Commodore Amiga500. It was almost exactly like QBasic, but was able to do more powerful graphics and sound in an easier way, though still extremely similar. Because of how slow those CPUs were, I had to always try to find ways to make the programs run as fast as possible. And then I started ...more
Zero-overhead Abstraction: "The C++ Programming Language" by Bjarne Stroustrup
(Original Review, 2001)
Back in the day, I started programming AMOS on Commodore Amiga500. It was almost exactly like QBasic, but was able to do more powerful graphics and sound in an easier way, though still extremely similar. Because of how slow those CPUs were, I had to always try to find ways to make the programs run as fast as possible. And then I started ...more

I've read the first, second, and third editions of this book. (Before I gave up my evil ways and switched to Java.) The most concise thing to say about the language can be summarized by placing the three volumes on the shelf next to each other. That makes it clear how much the scope of the language has expanded over time (approximately doubling on each edition). It's a sign of how tricky language design is -- Stroustrop was essentially forced to add some rather byzantine constructs over time to
...more

Honestly, I kind of detest C++ as a language - too easy to write shitty code, too easy to lose pointers and leak memory, and it was kind of a hack to force object oriented programming onto C. All that being said, this is the C++ Bible by Stroustrup and had a vast impact on computing in the 90s and 2000s before Java and its many children and inspired cousins took over. Highly readable (for a geek computer language book), it is a nerd classic.

A Reference Manual for a Useful Computer Language
14 March 2016
Honestly, I'm not really sure why I ended up reading this book. Okay, part of it may have something to do with my interest in getting back into computer programming but considering that the only programming language I have ever used is BASIC (though you could also throw in Neverwinter Nights, namely because they did have a pretty sophisticated editing suite which allowed me an enormous amount of freedom when I spent three years of my ...more
14 March 2016
Honestly, I'm not really sure why I ended up reading this book. Okay, part of it may have something to do with my interest in getting back into computer programming but considering that the only programming language I have ever used is BASIC (though you could also throw in Neverwinter Nights, namely because they did have a pretty sophisticated editing suite which allowed me an enormous amount of freedom when I spent three years of my ...more

This book was a beast. I tried to read it front-to-back, and it ended up taking me over a year to do it (including lots of downtime and time off due to information overload). So I wouldn't recommend that. I suggest reading the first chapters in order and then hitting the rest of them piecemeal as you run into something relevant in your life.
That said, this book was incredible. I don't know why this wasn't required reading as part of my college education. All the rest of my textbooks should have ...more
That said, this book was incredible. I don't know why this wasn't required reading as part of my college education. All the rest of my textbooks should have ...more

This book is considered to be the ultimate C++ bible as it's written by the creator of C++ himself, Bjarne Stroustrup, although I much prefer Big C++ as a reference book. This book is also clearly written by a straight programmer who isn't great when it comes to documentation as many of his explanations of the language are long-winded and overcomplicated for no reason.
It is worth noting that if you're looking for a book that serves as an introduction to the language, stay well clear from this an ...more
It is worth noting that if you're looking for a book that serves as an introduction to the language, stay well clear from this an ...more

Sep 09, 2008
Shortempered
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
intermediate to pro
Recommended to Shortempered by:
mentor at IBM
not a book for a beginner, read it if you already know what you are reading..
the best..Author is my personalized GOD !
Well, I stick to my review more firmly now that I have almost completed (only once) this super-genius work.
To be more specific about the book:
The book is source of almost everything you might want to know about the C++ or probably insight of everything to what one programming language has to offer. Although book is comprehensive, it is not a book made for you, if you are just s ...more
the best..Author is my personalized GOD !
Well, I stick to my review more firmly now that I have almost completed (only once) this super-genius work.
To be more specific about the book:
The book is source of almost everything you might want to know about the C++ or probably insight of everything to what one programming language has to offer. Although book is comprehensive, it is not a book made for you, if you are just s ...more

This book is the reference on this programming language. It attempts to follow in the footsteps of "The C Programming Language," which was thin but useful and more than a little amusing.
It succeeds in being a useful reference to this heavily-used language. The author, though, doesn't have the wit of the earlier authors and some attempts seem forced. Also, this is a much larger language. Part of why the earlier book was so thin was that the language itself was rather small and depended on librari ...more
It succeeds in being a useful reference to this heavily-used language. The author, though, doesn't have the wit of the earlier authors and some attempts seem forced. Also, this is a much larger language. Part of why the earlier book was so thin was that the language itself was rather small and depended on librari ...more

Jun 20, 2007
Israel Hsu
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
computer programmers
This is the authoritative reference on the C++ programming language. This book works best as a reference. Do not try to learn the C++ language from this book; its dense reference-filled text is too difficult to decipher for the beginner. However, I have found it to be very useful as a reference. For example, while designing and programming a set of complex generic templates, this book helped me untangle a series of mysterious compiler errors.

Jan 23, 2008
Steve
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
C++ programmers
Shelves:
technical
One of the lessons that has stuck with me from Strunk and White's Elements of Style is Rule #17: Omit Needless Words.
Bjarne Stroustup does not.
Consequently, it makes a challenging task -- trying to learn and understand the complexities and nuances of C++ -- even harder. If you're writing C++, this book probably belongs on your shelf. But you should learn from and refer to better books.
...more
Bjarne Stroustup does not.
Consequently, it makes a challenging task -- trying to learn and understand the complexities and nuances of C++ -- even harder. If you're writing C++, this book probably belongs on your shelf. But you should learn from and refer to better books.
...more

A colleague was quite scornful when I revealed I did not own the 3rd edition of this book. The first two editions are wonderful guides to the language. This edition mostly adds pages of Stroustrup's opinions as to what constitutes good programming practices. Though they are obviously of interest, I find that they are often too general to be useful and occasionally are self-contradictory.
...more

This book has the basics of C++ at the beginning, though it may not be the best book to read if you are a novice programmer. There are many insights into advanced concepts in C++ (e.g. this has the best section on how to use templates and the STL algorithms that I've seen in print). A great reference for professionals to have on their shelf.
...more

Oct 22, 2020
Mihail Feraru
added it
Skimmed through it. I would rather recommend online cpp reference or other books for educational purposes.
Should re-read later.
Should re-read later.

Interestingly covered everything in too much details.
If you're a newcomer to the C++ language, runaway from this book!
I strongly suggest "Sams Teach Yourself C++" book for newbies.
If you're an experienced C++ programmer, then here you go! this book is for you.
by the way, DO NOT use this book as a learning tutorial, consider it as a reference which you can refer to whenever you need to get into the details of a topic.
In the way of using this book as a tutorial, the problem arises when you face a ...more
If you're a newcomer to the C++ language, runaway from this book!
I strongly suggest "Sams Teach Yourself C++" book for newbies.
If you're an experienced C++ programmer, then here you go! this book is for you.
by the way, DO NOT use this book as a learning tutorial, consider it as a reference which you can refer to whenever you need to get into the details of a topic.
In the way of using this book as a tutorial, the problem arises when you face a ...more

Well-structured, well-written. And the best part of it is that it was written by C++ creator

This is the definitive book on the C++ programming language written by the man Bjarne Stroustrup himself. While those who are unfamiliar with C++ should avoid it, experienced C++ programmers will find that it can perfect their abilities. Nearly every intricacy and trick of the language is discussed. In fact, the only thing I've been unable to find is whether or not friendships inherit between classes - a rather obscure piece of C++ lore (they don't).
...more

Revisiting some of the newer stuff in C++ since I've been away a few years doing mostly Java. I was hesitant to get this book because it I thought it would be more of a reference like his earlier books and he is the inventor of the language. To my surprise, this is a very well rounded book. Highly recommended.
...more

The original and best book that covers the design and syntax of the C++ programming language - still the language for 'real' programmers, who like their programs to be hard to write and harder to understand.
...more

1 - Review of The C++ Programming Language
1.1 - Introduction
This review is about the book, The C++ Programming Language
1.1.1 - Paradigm
The paradigm used to review the book will be to write in the overly verbose, information-sparse format of the book itself.
1.1.2 - Format
The format of this review will be to provide an introduction, expanded by sub-sections on the paradigm, format, scope, structure, and other aspects of the review. After that the review itself will be presented. Lastly, a summatio ...more
1.1 - Introduction
This review is about the book, The C++ Programming Language
1.1.1 - Paradigm
The paradigm used to review the book will be to write in the overly verbose, information-sparse format of the book itself.
1.1.2 - Format
The format of this review will be to provide an introduction, expanded by sub-sections on the paradigm, format, scope, structure, and other aspects of the review. After that the review itself will be presented. Lastly, a summatio ...more

This is a fantastic C++ book. I picked this up only shortly before I stopped coding in C++ and I wish I'd had it much earlier.
...more
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