Introduction to C++: Exercises (with solutions)

Course Overview

Introduction to C++: Exercises (with solutions) is an exercise-driven, solution-focused companion that helps learners convert C++ theory into reliable practice. Through progressive, worked problems the material reinforces core language mechanics, object-oriented design, and idiomatic use of the Standard Library. Exercises are paired with annotated solutions that explain design choices, highlight common bugs, and demonstrate debugging and testing techniques so you can move from writing code that works to writing code that is maintainable, safe, and efficient.

Key Learning Outcomes

Practical Language Mastery

Build fluency in C++ fundamentals: syntax, control flow, and class design. Exercises emphasize encapsulation, inheritance, and polymorphism together with robust constructor/destructor patterns. Memory management is treated practically—contrasting raw pointers with RAII and smart pointers (std::unique_ptr, std::shared_ptr)—so you learn to avoid leaks and undefined behavior in real systems.

Modern C++ Techniques

Practice modern idioms such as templates, exception safety, and expressive use of the STL. Tasks require applying containers, iterators, and standard algorithms to write concise, testable code that leverages C++ performance without unnecessary complexity.

Applied Problem Solving

Work through end-to-end small projects—for example, building a URL/HTML parsing utility and implementing graph structures for exploration and traversal. These problems combine API design, traversal algorithms, error handling, and testability, showing how to structure code for reuse and clarity.

Who This Helps

This resource is well suited for self-learners and students who benefit from hands-on practice, as well as for developers seeking focused drills on idiomatic C++ and the STL. Beginners get step-by-step explanations and concrete solutions; intermediate programmers can deepen their understanding of templates, memory safety, and design patterns; experienced engineers can use the exercises as targeted practice for performance tuning and modern feature adoption.

Real-World Applications

The techniques reinforced by these exercises translate directly to everyday development tasks: writing system utilities, constructing performance-sensitive modules, prototyping game logic, parsing and processing HTML or URLs, and modeling problems as graph structures. Emphasis on modular, testable design makes it easier to adapt exercise code into production-style implementations.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

• Access-control mistakes: Use appropriate visibility to protect invariants and reduce accidental misuse of class internals.
• Unsafe pointer usage: Prefer RAII and smart pointers to manual new/delete to avoid leaks and undefined behavior.
• Ignoring compiler warnings: Treat warnings as clues—fix them early to improve portability and correctness.
• Insufficient const correctness: Apply const to functions and variables to document intent and enable compiler optimizations.
• Overengineering templates: Start with clear abstractions; generalize only when needed to keep code readable and maintainable.

Study Tips and Next Steps

Attempt each problem before consulting the solution. After studying the provided answers, re-implement solutions with variations and write unit tests to verify behavior. Refactor using templates and STL idioms, then profile hotspots and optimize bottlenecks. Iterative cycles of implement–test–refactor accelerate the move toward idiomatic, production-ready C++.

Author Note

According to the author, worked solutions are intended as scaffolding: use them to understand trade-offs between correctness, safety, and performance rather than as rote templates. This approach helps you develop judgement for real projects that demand clarity and efficiency.