Should I learn other languages before c++?

Hi, I'm very interesting into getting into c++ programming. Time isn't a big deal, but knowledge is. Should I learn any other languages before getting into c++, or would it be recomended that I go directly into c++?

Thanks for the help.

Have you done any programming at all before?

C++ might not be the easiest programming language to learn first. Learning to program is more about learning how to handle variables, conditional statements, and loops. These elements are pretty much the same in every programming language so it doesn't really matter which you learn first. That said, learning the basics can be easier or more difficult depending of the language because the more advanced parts of the language interferes (take for instance Java: to write the simplest program that prints text on the screen you have to make a "class" with a "method" that takes a "string array" as "arguments" ... you are supposed to ignore all that until a later phase).

I think Python http://ww.python.org is a language particularly suited for new programmers. Once you are familiar with the basics like loop structures and have learnt about objects and classes in Python, it is much easier to learn how they are done in C++ since you already familiar the concepts. (Why not study C++ directly, then? Because the syntax can be rather ugly and you can get lost easily)

Personally I see nothing wrong with going into C++ directly if you're a smart guy and have time enough. The language can be simple, if you approach it correctly.

CornedBee is right. I started learning C++ right after PHP.

If you want to learn C++ off the top then dive in. What you need to do first of is get a good book. Check out the book rcomendations on this site to get started. ( also, look at amazon.co.uk for a good deal in programming books ) If you want any advise or get stuck use this board for help, but please read the FAQ's and read the rules about posting before you do

I learned visual Basic first. Looking back, that had advantages and disadvantages. If you're looking to get something really quick, VB is a good first choice. Then move on to C++ after that.

I'm not too experienced in programming, but I am fairly intelligent (mostly mathematicly if that makes any differance...). I know Pascal, and learned some VB years ago when I was about 11 or 12. I have been told that VB is not a good language to learn first, as it will make other languages seem quite complicated. What I meant by my question is, to get the most out of C++ should I learn something else first? For example, would learning C before moving into C++ make a differance in the long run than if I were to just learn C++?

Thanks for the help!

Learning C is not necessary before learning C++, and can actually be detrimental to learning good C++ programming techniques.

Well, if you understand variables and conditional statements, there's no reason not to jump straight into C++.

I learned VB first, and found that it has actually helped me thus far. Once you start getting large programs in VB(The largest I had was actually around 60 or so windows) you have to get really smart about what you do, and be very careful with how you write your program.
This mentality I think has helped me. I can generally map out exactly what I need to do before I do it(I'll psuedo code it if it's a large program), and that stems from having to think so far ahead while using VB.
I'll try to get that program uploaded somewhere, so you guys can see my mad VB skillz. :p

I've never looked at VB 'code', actually.

I don't know what it would be like to start off with C or C++ by yourself. I did it in University. Started off with C in first year, and then in second year, we moved onto C++ (which I prefer :)). I don't see any reason why you shouldn't start off with C or C++ ... I think it was our (either) C/C++ lecturer who claimed that if we know how to program C/C++, it is likely that we could pick up any other languages (basics of), rather quickly. Probably more so than had we began with other (lesser :p) languages.

Give it a shot, and come here if you have any problems :p

I learned a couple of simpler languages before jumping into C/C++. That did help me learn the basics of what programing is all about without the confusing cryptic complexity of C++. (But, I didn't learn anything about OOP from these languages.)

Something like BASIC (not Visual Basic*) is a nice gentle introduction to programming. (In BASIC, "Hello World" is one line!) The downside is that BASIC books, classes, websites, and compilers are not very popular. And, you'll have to learn other languages if you want to advance to more serious projects. (Some real programs are/were written in BASIC, but you have to know more than BASIC if you are going to be a "real" programmer.)

The advantage to starting-out with C++ is it's popularity. There are many more resources (books, classes, and websites) for learning C++ than any other programming language. And, once you know C++ you know the language that most professional programmers know and use.


* With Visual Basic, you can make programs without really understanding what's going on. This is good if you want to write useful-impressive programs without a long learning curve. But, it's bad if you want to learn about programming.

A friend of mine put it best I think...

Programming languages are like Pokemon... gotta learn 'em all!

Seriously though... If you have programmed at all before, jump into C++ if you want to learn it. If you are planning on going professional... hit up some other types of languages such as Perl/Python Java/C# along with C++. They are all tools for your toolbox, and some languages teach some parts of programming better. After programming in C++ for a year or so, I learned Java and I really got the point of OOP.