What to Do After Learning C++?

You have decided to learn to program, started with C++, and completed the basics of C++. Do you want to know what to do next? What else can you learn? How to apply the knowledge you gained? What other real-world applications can you explore? This article aims to clear all these doubts.

C++ has been around for a while, yet it might not feel like a modern programming language. But why is it still popular? C++ is known for its speed, efficiency, and precise control over memory allocation and manipulation. 

C++ has several use cases. Some of the important applications of C++ are building GUI apps, games, web browsers, operating systems, compilers, database software, embedded systems, etc.

By completing the basics of C++, you should be familiar with structural, functional, and object-oriented programming. Since C++ works under object-oriented programming, a basic understanding of the four pillars of OOP (Abstraction, Encapsulation, Polymorphism, Inheritance) is necessary to proceed to the next phase.

Let us jump right in! Here are a few things you can do after learning the basics of C++.

1. C++ Game Development

Game developers have been developing games in C++ for decades. C++ provides flexibility for development across various operating systems such as Windows, macOS, and Linux. Game Development is done both in 2D as well as 3D using C++.

Game Development companies like Godot and Unreal Engine use C++ as their primary scripting language. Unity uses C#, but the runtime language is C++.

The extensive use of C++ in the gaming industry is because of its simplicity and high performance. The precise memory control provided by C++ enables developers to optimize performance for a hassle-free gaming experience.

If you are interested, you can definitely try out game development with C++.

2. Start Preparing for Competitive Coding

Competitive coding is one of the highly sought skills among software developers across companies like Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, and Google. It examines the ability of a programmer to solve problems in terms of code efficiency, spatial memory, and time consumption.

75% of the programmers across the world consider C++ as the best programming language for competitive coding as it is faster than other languages and most of the resources are available in C++.

The most efficient way to improve your competitive coding skills is to practice. It may seem obvious, but there are some factors that we need to solve the problem, such as sources and topics.

Sources

It is important that you practice good quality questions and progress at the right pace. You can start by solving easy problems and raise the difficulty bar gradually.

Some of the websites that have such features are:

1. Leetcode
2. CodeChef
3. Geeks for Geeks
4. HackerRank
5. HackerEarth

Topics

Some recommended topics that can increase your coding prowess are:

DSA (Data Structures and Algorithm)	Every coder needs to learn DSA regardless of the language they are an expert in. DSA helps to code efficiently and understand concepts like a stack and queue.
Design Analysis (Time and Space Complexity)	Coding problems in interviews or competitions might include the amount of space and memory used as constraints. The time that the code takes to run also might have limitations. So learning concepts like time and space complexities can help a coder understand memory efficiency and speed of code compilation and running.
C++ Standard Template Library (STL)	STL is a built-in library in C++ that contains multiple data structures and functions. Using them makes competitive coding faster and easier. Do not use STL without understanding the basics of DSA, as you cannot use them efficiently.

If you are looking for a complete step-by-step guide on how to become a competitive coder, you can learn it from online courses. I recommend The Bible of Competitive Programming & Coding Interviews on Udemy. It is one of the most popular, highly structured, and detailed guides to improve in competitive coding.

3. Teach C++ to Beginners

Teaching C++ to beginners is an excellent start for you. Since you already have experience in C++, you will understand what problems a beginner might face when learning the basics of C++. With this experience, you can teach beginners C++ coding. 

During this, you will have to face new issues that might be challenging. You can take this as an opportunity to learn the language in-depth and try to become an expert in it. And also, you can earn a side income by teaching what you love.

Some of the steps to efficiently tutor someone in C++ are :

• Teach syntax for concepts like loops, decision-making, and classes.
• Practice problems regularly so that you have hands-on practice.
• Put your knowledge of C++ into practice
• Dive into advanced C++ concepts as you progress.
• Take advantage of resources like online tutorials, books, and lectures.

4. Learn a New Programming Language

Learning a new language with the knowledge of the basics of C++ like OOP and DSA can accelerate your learning process. All you need to focus on is the language syntax.

After learning syntax, try to implement DSA concepts like a Linked List, Stack, or Queue in the new language. The above will improve familiarity with the language and help you explore the practical applications of your theoretical knowledge.

I don’t recommend you learn a new programming language just for the sake of learning it. Learn a new programming language so that you can do something with it. Knowing C++ will definitely help you learn a new language with ease, especially if it is an object-oriented programming language like Java.

Final Thoughts

I hope you have got a clear idea about the various applications of C++ and what you can do with it. Now it’s time for you to try out some of these things and put your C++ skills into practice.

Thanks for reading. Happy coding!