C++ Guides And Resources.

[kenjoe41]

I got inspired by a post at stack Overflow and i decided we should also have a community verified reliable resource for C++

Unlike many other programming languages, which are often picked up on the go from tutorials found on the Internet, few are able to quickly pick up C++ without studying a well-written C++ book. It is way too big and complex for doing this. In fact, it is so big and complex, that there are very many very bad C++ books out there. And we are not talking about bad style, but things like sporting glaringly obvious factual errors and promoting abysmally bad programming styles.

Please provide quality books and an appropriate skill level [beginner, intermediate, advanced]. Add a short blurb/description about each book that you have personally read/benefited from. Feel free to debate quality, headings, etc. Books that meet the criteria will be added to the list @OP. If a book already exists in our Ebook section, please provide the link.

REFERENCE STYLE - All Levels

A Tour of C++ (Bjarne Stroustrup) The "tour" is a quick (about 180 pages and 14 chapters) tutorial overview of all of standard C++ (language and standard library, and using C++11) at a moderately high level for people who already know C++ or at least are experienced programmers. This book is an extended version of the material that constitutes Chapters 2-5 of The C++ Programming Language, 4th edition.

The C++ Programming Language (Bjarne Stroustrup) (updated for C++11) The classic introduction to C++ by its creator. Written to parallel the classic K&R, this indeed reads very much alike it and covers just about everything from the core language to the standard library, to programming paradigms to the language's philosophy. (Thereby making the latest editions break the 1k page barrier.)  The fourth edition (released on May 19, 2013) covers C++11-remind me to update link.

C++ Standard Library Tutorial and Reference (Nicolai Josuttis) (updated for C++11) The introduction and reference for the C++ Standard Library. The second edition (released on April 9, 2012) covers C++11.

The C++ IO Streams and Locales (Angelika Langer and Klaus Kreft) There's very little to say about this book except that, if you want to know anything about streams and locales, then this is the one place to find definitive answers.

BEGINNER

Introductory

If you are new to programming or if you have experience in other languages and are new to C++, these books are highl*y recommended.

C++ Primer  (Stanley Lippman, Josée Lajoie, and Barbara E. Moo) (updated for C++11) Coming at 1k pages, this is a very thorough introduction into C++ that covers just about everything in the language in a very accessible format and in great detail. The fifth edition (released August 16, 2012) covers C++11. [Review]

Accelerated C++ (Andrew Koenig and Barbara Moo) This basically covers the same ground as the C++ Primer, but does so on a fourth of its space. This is largely because it does not attempt to be an introduction to programming, but an introduction to C++ for people who've previously programmed in some other language. It has a steeper learning curve, but, for those who can cope with this, it is a very compact introduction into the language. (Historically, it broke new ground by being the first beginner's book using a modern approach at teaching the language.) [Review]

Thinking in C++ (Bruce Eckel) Two volumes; second is more about standard library, but still very good

Programming: Principles and Practice Using C++ (Bjarne Stroustrup) An introduction to programming using C++ by the creator of the language. A good read, that assumes no previous programming experience, but is not only for beginners. (The 2nd Edition (updated for C++11) is coming.)

Best practices

Effective C++ (Scott Meyers) This was written with the aim of being the best second book C++ programmers should read, and it succeeded. Earlier editions were aimed at programmers coming from C, the third edition changes this and targets programmers coming from languages like Java. It presents ~50 easy-to-remember rules of thumb along with their rationale in a very accessible (and enjoyable) style.

Effective STL (Scott Meyers) This aims to do the same to the part of the standard library coming from the STL what Effective C++ did to the language as a whole: It presents rules of thumb along with their rationale.

INTERMEDIATE

More Effective C++ (Scott Meyers) Even more rules of thumb than Effective C++. Not as important as the ones in the first book, but still good to know.

Exceptional C++ (Herb Sutter) Presented as a set of puzzles, this has one of the best and thorough discussions of the proper resource management and exception safety in C++ through Resource Acquisition is Initialization (RAII) in addition to in-depth coverage of a variety of other topics including the pimpl idiom, name lookup, good class design, and the C++ memory model.

More Exceptional C++ (Herb Sutter) Covers additional exception safety topics not covered in Exceptional C++, in addition to discussion of effective object oriented programming in C++ and correct use of the STL.

Exceptional C++ Style (Herb Sutter) Discusses generic programming, optimization, and resource management; this book also has an excellent exposition of how to write modular code in C++ by using nonmember functions and the single responsibility principle.

C++ Coding Standards (Herb Sutter and Andrei Alexandrescu) "Coding standards" here doesn't mean "how many spaces should I indent my code?" This book contains 101 best practices, idioms, and common pitfalls that can help you to write correct, understandable, and efficient C++ code.

C++ Templates: The Complete Guide (David Vandevoorde and Nicolai M. Josuttis) This is the book about templates as they existed before C++11. It covers everything from the very basics to some of the most advanced template metaprogramming and explains every detail of how templates work (both conceptually and at how they are implemented) and discusses many common pitfalls. Has excellent summaries of the One Definition Rule (ODR) and overload resolution in the appendices. A second edition is scheduled for 2015.

ADVANCED

Modern C++ Design (Andrei Alexandrescu) A groundbreaking book on advanced generic programming techniques. Introduces policy-based design, type lists, and fundamental generic programming idioms then explains how many useful design patterns (including small object allocators, functors, factories, visitors, and multimethods) can be implemented efficiently, modularly, and cleanly using generic programming. [Review]

C++ Template Metaprogramming (David Abrahams and Aleksey Gurtovoy)

C++ Concurrency In Action (Anthony Williams) A book covering C++11 concurrency support including the thread library, the atomics library, the C++ memory model, locks and mutexes, as well as issues of designing and debugging multithreaded applications.

Advanced C++ Metaprogramming (Davide Di Gennaro) A pre-C++11 manual of TMP techniques, focused more on practice than theory. There are a ton of snippets in this book, some of which are made obsolete by typetraits, but the techniques, are nonetheless, useful to know. If you can put up with the quirky formatting/editing, it is easier to read than Alexandrescu, and arguably, more rewarding. For more experienced developers, there is a good chance that you may pick up something about a dark corner of C++ (a quirk) that usually only comes about through extensive experience.

[bluechill]

I disagree with all.  You don't need a book to learn C++, you need to work by yourself doing work using C++.  All these books don't do that.  All of them are examples and reading and BORING and minimal fun projects.  To learn C++ you need the following:

1. A list of projects to code from beginners to advanced levels, each with suggestions for implementation.  For instance, instead of saying "Code a binary clock using X" say "Code a binary clock using X, Y, and Z and compare how each went and why X was more difficult then Y etc."  Basically you need projects which you implement in multiple ways using multiple techniques and then afterwords have predetermined explanations for why using X should be harder than using Y but why X might be better in other projects, etc.
2. You need feedback on each of these projects.  And you need to be willing to implement them in good style, picking from several different styles and testing each out and deciding which style you like best and having a REASON for why that style is the best.
3. You need a resource for looking up C++ ie. a book such as stated above or Google.  I prefer Google.

[Traitor4000]

I disagree with all.  You don't need a book to learn C++, you need to work by yourself doing work using C++.  All these books don't do that.  All of them are examples and reading and BORING and minimal fun projects.  To learn C++ you need the following:

1. A list of projects to code from beginners to advanced levels, each with suggestions for implementation.  For instance, instead of saying "Code a binary clock using X" say "Code a binary clock using X, Y, and Z and compare how each went and why X was more difficult then Y etc."  Basically you need projects which you implement in multiple ways using multiple techniques and then afterwords have predetermined explanations for why using X should be harder than using Y but why X might be better in other projects, etc.
2. You need feedback on each of these projects.  And you need to be willing to implement them in good style, picking from several different styles and testing each out and deciding which style you like best and having a REASON for why that style is the best.
3. You need a resource for looking up C++ ie. a book such as stated above or Google.  I prefer Google.

What so people should be able to magically guess the syntax? I mean sure for people who already no a couple of languages then yeah maybe they could learn c++ this way. Beginners; however, need more guidance through programming concepts and syntax. Using this sort of project system along with a book would work but I don't think the projects alone could start a beginner off. Btw do you know of a place with these types of projects?

[iTpHo3NiX]

What so people should be able to magically guess the syntax? I mean sure for people who already no a couple of languages then yeah maybe they could learn c++ this way. Beginners; however, need more guidance through programming concepts and syntax. Using this sort of project system along with a book would work but I don't think the projects alone could start a beginner off. Btw do you know of a place with these types of projects?

Google

[kenjoe41]

Yeah, i agree that is you have basic understanding of the language concepts, it is only wiser to code projects than drool through a boring book. I knew this already, and it gets even more easier if its some language like python. i mean i wouldn't even get a book for python even if i were a beginner with alittle programming in my gloves.
But C++ is a monster of a language that even the most adept of programmers might be stunned if they are just beginning it.
HELL, they might even get project ideas while learning, and also become familiar with the syntax so as to easily read others' code.

[bluechill]

What so people should be able to magically guess the syntax? I mean sure for people who already no a couple of languages then yeah maybe they could learn c++ this way. Beginners; however, need more guidance through programming concepts and syntax. Using this sort of project system along with a book would work but I don't think the projects alone could start a beginner off. Btw do you know of a place with these types of projects?

Google + examples if simple projects. It's how I learned C++ not books. Books were just too boring for me