Programming in C++ (Second Edition)

A Structured Path Through C++ 💻

Programming in C++ (Second Edition) by Ashok Namdev Kamthane is a substantial textbook for readers who want more than a quick syntax tour. It begins with the reasons C++ exists, the ANSI standard, and the core ideas behind object-oriented programming, then builds steadily toward the language features that make C++ useful for real software.

The second edition keeps its focus on clear explanation, worked examples, and chapter-ending exercises. That combination makes it useful both as a course companion and as a reference you can return to when a specific concept needs another pass.

From Fundamentals to Object-Oriented Design 🧠

The early chapters cover the essentials: tokens and declarations, data types, operators, input and output streams, decision statements, loops, and functions. Readers then move into classes and objects, access specifiers, member functions, constructors and destructors, operator overloading, inheritance, arrays, pointers, and C++ memory models.

Later sections take on polymorphism, virtual functions, file applications, generic programming with templates, string handling, exception handling, the Standard Template Library, ANSI and Turbo C++ details, and C++ graphics. The result is a broad view of the language rather than a narrow introduction.

Learning by Example

Each chapter is built around explanations, illustrative programs, and exercises. The book uses this repetition deliberately: a concept appears in prose, then in code, then in a problem that asks the reader to apply it. For learners who prefer to understand why a feature exists before using it, this structure can make the material easier to retain.

The summaries at the end of each chapter are useful for review, while the exercise sets provide a way to test whether the ideas have really settled.

Who This Edition Serves

This second edition is aimed at students, self-taught programmers, and developers who want a structured C++ reference grounded in the language’s core features. It is particularly relevant for computer science and engineering students working through object-oriented programming, data structures, or systems programming fundamentals.

Because the book covers both foundational syntax and advanced concepts, it can support a first course in C++ as well as later study of templates, exceptions, and the STL.

Why It Still Belongs on a Programming Shelf

C++ has changed over the years, but the concepts in this edition remain central to how the language is taught and used: classes, inheritance, polymorphism, memory, templates, and exception handling. Programming in C++ (Second Edition) offers a patient, example-rich route through those ideas, making it a practical choice for readers who want a thorough textbook rather than a hurried overview.