Someone just asked me about getting more proficient in C++, and with their permission I thought I’d share the question and my answer in case it’s of broader interest to folks wanting to improve their C++ skills.

Here’s the question:

I need to take my C++ knowledge up a notch – or two. On a scale of 1-10 I’d consider my C++ knowledge a 5 and would like to get to 7-8 in the next 4, or so, months. As C++ is a large language my quandary is what subject areas, using what study materials, should I focus on to get myself to this next level.

Questions (assuming that I’m going to study approx 2 hrs/day for 4 months):

1. How would you suggest I structure such a course of study (subject areas, 5 of time for each) ?
1.1 If you were in my shoes, how would you proceed?
2. If I was going to study and hopefully know cold one of your books, which do you think I should select?

Here’s my response, which I didn’t limit to my own books. These are the first two “next books” books I would recommend to anyone who already knew the basics of the language and wanted to improve their proficiency with using C++ in production code:

If you’re not already familiar with Scott Meyers’ Effective C++, the current third edition is the plate to start (it’s substantially reworked since the first and second editions).

After that, I’d say the most important is C++ Coding Standards which I wrote with Andrei Alexandrescu. Not only does it cover the top 100 things we felt were important to say about using C++ in production code, and had its guidance peer-reviewed in advance by a who’s-who of the C++ community more than any other C++ book I’ve ever heard of, but it also includes references in each Item for where to find more in-depth treatment. Most Items are just one or two pages, so if you know that Item already you can use it as a refresher; and if you discover ones that you’re less familiar with or rusty on the details, it tells you where to go to find out more.

I’d say those are the two most important that I can suggest. Best wishes with your studies!