I'm switching from pre-med to a university program that starts teaching C++ in about a month. I have absolutely no programming experience and would like to prepare ahead of time. Are there any good video series or written resources that explain programming and C++ from the very beginning?
4 Answers
Some people recommend learning C before C++, since C has a smaller core and can make concepts like memory and data types clearer. It isn’t required, though. A beginner can start directly with C++ as long as they follow a gradual course and avoid jumping immediately into advanced topics such as templates, manual memory management, or large frameworks.
The Cherno’s C++ series is a popular video option and can be useful for seeing concepts explained visually. Just remember that videos can be incomplete or out of date, so pair them with a written reference and practice exercises instead of watching passively.
C++ is a challenging first language because it gives you a lot of tools and details at once. If your course specifically uses C++, you don’t have to switch languages, but spend extra time on fundamentals first: variables, types, conditionals, loops, functions, arrays, debugging, and basic problem-solving. Writing tiny programs is more valuable than memorizing terminology.
I’d start with LearnCpp.com rather than relying entirely on videos. It’s structured, regularly maintained, and explains both the language and the basic programming concepts you need as a beginner. Work through it in order and write small programs as you go.
That helps. Since my course is in C++, I’ll focus on those fundamentals first and practice with small exercises instead of trying to learn everything at once.