C++ Fundamentals & Setup

C++ gives you direct control over how a program uses memory and hardware, which is why it powers game engines, embedded devices, and performance-critical systems. It is a compiled language: your source code is translated into a native executable before it ever runs.

• Every program needs a main() function — execution starts there.
• Core types: int, double, char, bool, std::string.
• std::cout prints output; std::cin reads input, both from <iostream>.
• Every statement ends with a semicolon; a program is built by a compiler (g++ or Clang) before it runs.

💡 Practical Skill: Install a modern compiler (g++ via MinGW or a Linux/WSL environment) and VS Code with the C/C++ extension. Get comfortable reading compiler errors — in C++ they're detailed and worth reading carefully.

#include <iostream>#include <string> int main() {    std::string name = "Grace";    int age = 22;    std::string city = "Juba";     std::cout << name << " is " << age              << " years old and lives in " << city << "." << std::endl;    return 0;}