C++

roadmap.sh: https://roadmap.sh/cpp

Suggested path through the C++ nodes. Each node links to its lesson when written.

Nodes

Introduction

• what-is-c
• c-vs-c
• c-standards-c-11-14-17-20-23
• setting-up-the-environment
• compilers-gcc-clang-msvc
• running-first-program
• how-c-works-compilation-model

Basics / Syntax

• variables-and-constants
• data-types
• type-modifiers
• auto-and-type-inference
• operators
• conditionals-if-switch
• loops-for-while-do-while
• range-based-for-loop
• comments
• input-output-iostream

Functions

• declaring-defining-functions
• parameters-and-arguments
• pass-by-value-reference-pointer
• default-arguments
• function-overloading
• inline-functions
• lambda-expressions
• constexpr-functions
• recursion

Pointers & References

• pointers
• references
• pointer-arithmetic
• nullptr
• const-pointers-pointer-to-const
• smart-pointers-unique-ptr-shared-ptr-weak-ptr
• dangling-pointers-memory-leaks

Memory Management

• stack-vs-heap
• new-delete
• raii
• object-lifetime
• move-semantics-rvalue-references
• copy-vs-move

Structures & OOP

• structs
• classes-objects
• access-specifiers
• constructors-destructors
• copy-move-constructors
• operator-overloading
• this-pointer
• static-members
• friend-functions-classes
• inheritance
• polymorphism-virtual-functions
• abstract-classes-interfaces
• encapsulation
• the-rule-of-0-3-5

Templates & Generics

• function-templates
• class-templates
• template-specialization
• variadic-templates
• concepts-c-20
• sfinae
• template-metaprogramming

Standard Library (STL)

• containers-vector-array-list-deque
• associative-containers-map-set-unordered-map
• iterators
• algorithms-algorithm
• std-string-std-string-view
• utility-types-pair-tuple-optional-variant-any
• std-span
• function-objects-std-function
• ranges-c-20

Error Handling

• exceptions-try-catch-throw
• exception-safety-guarantees
• noexcept
• error-codes-std-expected
• assertions

Concurrency

• threads-std-thread
• mutexes-locks
• condition-variables
• atomics
• std-async-futures-promises
• memory-model-data-races
• coroutines-c-20

Tooling & Build

• preprocessor-macros
• header-source-separation
• build-systems-cmake-make
• package-managers-vcpkg-conan
• debuggers-gdb-lldb
• sanitizers-asan-ubsan-tsan
• static-analysis-clang-tidy-cppcheck
• profilers-perf-valgrind
• unit-testing-googletest-catch2
• modules-c-20

Resources

See resources.md.

Project ideas

• Build a small JSON parser/serializer from scratch using only the STL, exercising templates, std::variant, and RAII for the value tree.
• Implement a thread-safe bounded producer/consumer queue with std::mutex + condition variables, then benchmark it against a lock-free std::atomic ring buffer.
• Write a tiny unique_ptr/shared_ptr clone (with custom deleters and a reference count) to internalize move semantics and the Rule of 5.