OOP Using C++: Master Object-Oriented Programming Skills

About this course

OOP Using C++ is an example-driven, practical overview of modern object-oriented programming in C++. The course emphasizes clear class and API design, predictable resource management, and composing modular systems that are straightforward to test and maintain. Concise, annotated code samples and progressive exercises guide you from core concepts to working implementations, teaching idiomatic, performance-aware techniques used in contemporary C++ development.

Teaching approach

The guide balances conceptual clarity with hands-on implementation. Short, focused code snippets highlight common pitfalls, best practices, and debugging strategies. Core topics—RAII, move semantics, exception safety, and ownership patterns using smart pointers—are presented alongside pragmatic use of the Standard Template Library (STL), so you learn to solve problems with robust, reusable building blocks rather than reinventing solutions.

Key learning outcomes

Designing maintainable classes and APIs

Learn to craft classes with single responsibility, well-defined contracts, and extensible interfaces. The material explains when to favor composition over inheritance, how to design for clear ownership and lifecycles, and how polymorphism can be applied safely to enable flexible extensions.

Safe resource and lifetime management

Master constructors, destructors, and move/copy semantics (the rule of five) to avoid common ownership errors. Study RAII patterns and practical smart pointer usage (unique_ptr, shared_ptr, weak_ptr) through examples that demonstrate deterministic cleanup, exception safety, and explicit ownership transfer.

Reusable code with templates and the STL

See pragmatic uses of function and class templates, basic specialization, and constraints to increase reuse while preserving type safety. Learn to leverage STL containers and algorithms to express intent concisely and rely on well-tested primitives for performance and correctness.

Testing, debugging, and robust error handling

Explore approaches for exception-safe interfaces, meaningful error reporting, and designs that fail fast when appropriate. Coverage includes unit-testing patterns, using assertions and compiler diagnostics, and workflows to catch regressions early so refactors remain safe.

Who this is for

Well suited for programmers moving from procedural or C-style code to idiomatic C++, and for intermediate developers seeking a focused refresher on modern OOP techniques. The material assumes basic familiarity with C/C++ syntax and builds toward practical application in real projects using tests and iterative refactoring.

Practical projects and exercises

Exercises progress from implementing focused domain classes to integrated mini-projects that combine file I/O, templates, and STL usage. Sample tasks include validated domain models, polymorphic component designs, and small utilities for parsing and summarizing data. Advanced prompts invite experimentation with state management, lightweight event loops, and performance-aware refactorings.

Best practices and common pitfalls

• Prefer composition over inheritance unless there is a clear "is-a" relationship.
• Use RAII and smart pointers to express ownership and avoid manual cleanup.
• Rely on STL algorithms and utilities to reduce boilerplate and potential bugs.
• Treat compiler warnings and static analysis as early feedback to prevent issues.
• Write small, testable components first, then compose them into larger systems.

Next steps

Work through the exercises, iterate on sample projects, and apply testing and debugging practices to build reliable components. After mastering core techniques, explore design patterns, profiling, and advanced template metaprogramming to scale designs for larger systems.

Author note

According to Peter Muller, clarity and maintainability are paramount: prefer code that communicates intent, is simple to test, and scales from small utilities to larger applications.

Get started

Begin by implementing a small class-based utility: define a clear interface, add unit tests, and refactor for reuse. The hands-on approach in this guide is designed to help you apply object-oriented design principles confidently in real C++ projects.