Is The C++ Programming Language Good for Beginners?
Short answer: no. The C++ Programming Language is a superb book, but it’s a complete description of the language for people who already program, and its author says so himself. As a first book, its 1,360 pages are far more likely to put you off C++ than teach it. Learn the fundamentals elsewhere first, then come back to it.
Disclosure: I wrote C++ Better Explained, a paid book for beginners. Everything below about Stroustrup’s book is from his own website and the book’s published details.
Want something you can finish?
C++ Better Explained
The C++ Programming Language runs to 1,360 pages and assumes you already program. This book explains pointers, memory and OOP for true beginners, in 87 plain-English pages with diagrams.
Get the Book — $19 →The Facts
| Author | Bjarne Stroustrup, the creator of C++ |
| Publisher | Addison-Wesley |
| Latest edition | 4th edition, May 2013 |
| Length | 1,360 pages |
| C++ standard | C++11 |
| Written for | Programmers |
| Exercises | Published on Stroustrup’s website, not in the book |
What Stroustrup Says About Beginners
You don’t have to take my word for any of this. On his page for the book, Stroustrup lists criticisms he’s received and responds to each one. To “This is not a good book for beginners”, his answer is “You are right!”
He goes on to say the book assumes the reader is already a programmer, and that it says so repeatedly. For beginners, he recommends a different book of his: Programming: Principles and Practice Using C++.
What the Book Is
The 4th edition is a complete rewrite of the 3rd, and it covers the C++11 standard. Its goal is completeness: every language feature, the standard library, and the programming and design techniques they support, explained by the person who designed the language.
That makes it exceptional as a reference for someone who already writes C++ and wants to understand the language deeply. It also explains why it’s hard to learn from:
- It’s organised for completeness, not for learning. Stroustrup notes that it doesn’t present topics bottom-up or easiest-first, and that it isn’t a pure tutorial.
- It assumes you can already program. Variables, loops and functions aren’t taught from scratch.
- It’s very long. 1,360 pages is several months of reading before you’ve written much code.
Is It Outdated?
Partly. Everything in it describes C++11, and C++11 is still the foundation of modern C++, so what it says remains accurate. But it was published in 2013, so it doesn’t cover anything added in C++14, C++17, C++20 or C++23 — concepts, ranges, modules and coroutines among them. For a modern overview, Stroustrup’s shorter A Tour of C++ (3rd edition, 2022) covers C++20.
What to Read First
If you’re new to C++, any of these is a better first step:
- Programming: Principles and Practice Using C++ — Stroustrup’s own recommendation for beginners. It teaches programming from zero, in C++20 and C++23.
- learncpp.com — free, starts from no experience, and covers far more than a beginner needs.
- A Tour of C++ — only if you already program in another language. About 254 pages plus index, and up to date with C++20.
- C++ Better Explained — a short, plain-English book with diagrams, for true beginners. It focuses on the parts that trip people up most: pointers, memory and OOP.
Stroustrup’s Three Books Compared
| The C++ Programming Language (4th ed.) | A Tour of C++ (3rd ed.) | Programming: Principles and Practice (3rd ed.) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published | May 2013 | September 2022 | 2024 |
| Length | 1,360 pages | About 254 pages + index | 656 pages |
| Written for | Programmers who want the whole language | Experienced programmers | People who have never programmed |
| C++ standard | C++11 | C++20 | C++20 and C++23 |
| Use it as | A deep reference | A fast modern overview | A first course |
Who Should Read It
- C++ programmers who want to understand the language completely, from the person who designed it.
- Anyone who wants a thorough reference to C++11 and its standard library, with the reasoning behind the design.
- Readers who enjoy depth, and who will dip into the book over years rather than read it cover to cover.
The Verdict
The C++ Programming Language is one of the great C++ books, and the wrong first one. Even its author says beginners should start elsewhere. Learn the fundamentals from a book or course written for learning, write some programs of your own, and then this becomes a book you’ll keep coming back to.
Take Your C++ Further
If you'd like the fundamentals explained in one place, C++ Better Explained covers them in 87 plain-English pages, with analogies and code diagrams, including the parts that trip beginners up most: pointers, memory and OOP.
Get the book — $1987 pages · plain English · 30-day money-back guarantee
Related Articles
- Best C++ Books and Resources for Beginners — every option, ranked honestly.
- A Tour of C++ (3rd Edition) Review — Stroustrup’s short overview.
- Programming: Principles and Practice Review — Stroustrup’s beginner book.
- Is C++ Primer Good for Beginners? — the other classic textbook.
- Is learncpp.com Enough to Learn C++? — the free alternative.