Let's dive into C++

Serah Rashidi (She/Her)
Sep 16
3 min read

Updated: Oct 4

Hey Techies! It’s been a while since I dropped a blog, but here we are again. And today we’re heading straight into the engine room of programming with C++. Whether you’re a student, a hobbyist, or someone just curious about how computers actually understand us, welcome aboard. Games, operating systems, even parts of your web browser are all C++, and if software were a city, C++ would be the steel and concrete holding it all together. So let’s peel back the layers and talk about what makes this language iconic!

So, What Is C++?

C++ is a high-level programming language, meaning it looks human-readable but can still talk directly to the computer with the help of a compiler. It was created in the 1980s as an upgrade to the C language.

The “++” comes from the C operator that means “add one,” so C++ literally means “C, but one step better.”

Later, it also introduced a new way of organizing code called objects, which are like digital “things” (a car, a student, a bank account) that bundle data and actions together.

Over the years, it’s become the language behind:

3D game engines
Operating systems like Windows
Browsers like Chrome and Firefox
Databases and high-performance systems.

It's fast, powerful, and gives you control, but with that control comes responsibility (and sometimes a few headaches! )

How to Get Started with C++

Learning C++ can feel like a huge maze, but here’s the roadmap most beginners follow:

Output → make the computer say something (hello world).
Variables & Data Types → store information (numbers, text, etc.).
Input → let the user type something in.
Arithmetic & Logic → do calculations and make decisions.
Control Flow → if/else, loops, conditions.
Functions → break problems into smaller, reusable tasks.
Advanced Concepts → object-oriented programming (OOP), classes, memory, pointers.

We’ll start small and work our way up.

Your First C++ Program

Here’s the classic starter:

#include <iostream>
using namespace std;

int main() {
    cout << "Hello, World!" << endl;
    return 0;
}

And here’s what’s happening:

#include <iostream> → a toolbox for input/output.
using namespace std; → a shortcut so you don’t type std::cout every time.
int main() { ... } → the “front door” of the program, where it starts.
cout << "Hello, World!" → tells the computer to print text.
return 0; → politely signals that everything worked fine.

Boom. Your computer just “talked back” to you.

But Why Stop There?

That’s cute—but “Hello, World” doesn’t solve a problem. And programming is all about solving problems.

If we wanted to calculate BMI (Body Mass Index), or swap two numbers, or find the distance between points… we need more than just printing.

But before we code, we need to think.

Algorithm vs Program

Here’s the deal:

Algorithm → Think of it like a recipe. Written in plain English, step by step.Example for BMI:
1. Take weight.
2. Take height.
3. Divide weight by height squared.
4. Print the result.
Program → The same recipe, but translated into C++ so the computer can actually execute it.

👉 Algorithm = idea👉 Program = execution

That’s the reason programming even exists: to turn our solutions into computer-readable instructions.

How Does This Actually Run?

So you wrote your program. How does your machine “understand” it? The journey looks like this:

Source Code (.cpp) → the file you write.
Preprocessor → handles commands like #include.
Compiler → translates your C++ into machine code (0s and 1s).
Linker → stitches in libraries (like math functions, input/output).
Executable (.exe / .out) → the final file your computer can run.

Think of it like writing a recipe (.cpp) that eventually becomes a dish (.exe) your computer can “eat.”

Why C++ Still Matters

Despite the hype around newer languages, C++ is still the OG.

It’s fast (close to hardware).
It’s efficient (minimal waste of memory/CPU).
It’s trusted (systems that can’t fail, like flight software or financial systems, use it).

So while you might write Python scripts or Java apps, deep down, there’s a good chance C++ is doing the heavy lifting.

🎯 And that’s our starting point with C++. Next time, we’ll go hands-on with variables, input/output, and arithmetic so you can start solving problems, not just printing “Hello World.”

Until then, keep coding, keep curious. 🚀

And with that, we reach the end of the blog. I hope you had a good read and learned a lot. Stay tuned as we'll cover more tech-related topics in future blogs .

Incase of any questions or suggestions, feel free to reach out to me via LinkedIn . I'm always open to fruitful discussions.🍏🦜