With many different versions of C++ available (C++98, C++03, C++11, C++14, C++17, etc…) how does your compiler know which one to use? Generally, a compiler will pick a standard to default to (often not the most recent language standard). If you wish to use a different standard, you’ll have to configure your IDE/compiler to do . . . → Read More: 0.12 — Configuring your compiler: Choosing a language standard
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In the previous lesson, we talked about C-style strings, and the dangers of using them. C-style strings are fast, but they’re not as easy to use and as safe as std::string. But std::string (which we covered in lesson S.4.4b — An introduction to std::string), has some of its own downsides, particularly when it comes to . . . → Read More: 6.6a — An introduction to std::string_view On modern computer architectures, the smallest addressable unit of memory is a byte. Since all objects need to have unique memory addresses, this means objects must be at least one byte in size. For most variable types, this is fine. However, for Boolean values, this is a bit wasteful. Boolean types only have two states: . . . → Read More: O.1 — Bit flags and bit manipulation via std::bitset The modulus operator The modulus operator (also informally known as the remainder operator) is an operator that returns the remainder after doing an integer division. For example, 7 / 4 = 1 remainder 3. Therefore, 7 % 4 = 3. As another example, 25 / 7 = 3 remainder 4, thus 25 % 7 . . . → Read More: 5.3 — Modulus and Exponentiation Consider a case where you’re going to go to the market, and your roommate tells you, “if they have strawberries on sale, buy some”. This is a conditional statement, meaning that you’ll execute some action (“buy some”) only if the condition (“they have strawberries on sale”) is true. Such conditions are common in programming, as . . . → Read More: 4.10 — Introduction to if statements Before we talk about our next subject, we’re going to sidebar into the topic of scientific notation. Scientific notation is a useful shorthand for writing lengthy numbers in a concise manner. And although scientific notation may seem foreign at first, understanding scientific notation will help you understand how floating point numbers work, and more importantly, . . . → Read More: 4.7 — Introduction to scientific notation Unsigned integers In the previous lesson (4.4 — Signed integers), we covered signed integers, which are a set of types that can hold positive and negative whole numbers, including 0. C++ also supports unsigned integers. Unsigned integers are integers that can only hold non-negative whole numbers. Defining unsigned integers To . . . → Read More: 4.5 — Unsigned integers, and why to avoid them Quick Summary A syntax error is an error that occurs when you write a statement that is not valid according to the grammar of the C++ language. The compiler will catch these. A semantic error occurs when a statement is syntactically valid, but does not do what the programmer intended. The process of finding . . . → Read More: 3.x — Chapter 3 summary and quiz When you make a semantic error, that error may or may not be immediately noticeable when you run your program. An issue may lurk undetected in your code for a long time before newly introduced code or changed circumstances cause it to manifest as a program malfunction. The longer an error sits in the code . . . → Read More: 3.10 — Finding issues before they become problems Modern debuggers contain one more debugging information window that can be very useful in debugging your program, and that is the call stack window. When your program calls a function, you already know that it bookmarks the current location, makes the function call, and then returns. How does it know where to return to? The . . . → Read More: 3.9 — Using an integrated debugger: The call stack |
