What’s the best way to learn C++ for free?

You should definitely check out learncpp.com! It's free and one of the best sites for C++ tutorials. For an IDE, both Code::Blocks and Visual Studio Community are great options and they're free too.

If you have some prior programming experience, consider 'Accelerated C++'. It’s a bit older and covers C++98, but it offers a good overview. Just keep in mind you'll want to look up modern features after!

You could also find useful tutorials on YouTube channels like freeCodeCamp, Bro Code, or The Cherno. Personally, I think freeCodeCamp is really helpful!

Cherno is awesome for C++ content. If you search for him on YouTube, you'll find a lot of great videos. Plus, you might want to look into Udemy. If you have a library card, you can access a lot of their courses for free through their platform.

Reading books can be really beneficial too. Check out this GitHub list of recommended C++ books: github.com/yuchdev/CppBooks. There's also a book by Tony Gaddis that folks like.