So long...

[JRManx]

The people are much more helpful than the tutorials, although those are useful if you're only using C++11. I learned C++98 (self-taught), so I use the reference a lot, since I'm still not totally familiar with 11.

Not to mention 13, 17, and 20 are basically anathema to me.

[malibor]

I have some info for you that may help...

Using any kind of reference is not the way to go to learn language or some API.
Once you learn enough of language or library basics to be confident to write programs or custom library then using reference helps to find unknown details needed for coding or to finalize your existing skills for the purpose of learning.

That is the purpose of reference, to upgrade your existing skills or to find additional information.

Before using reference, I suggest to get a good book and follow those tutorials which further explain concepts described in the book.

programing forums are not designed to learn either but rather to ask question when you really stuck, such that no info is in the book, there is no tutorial and reference is unclear, in that case forums can help.

[helios]

Using any kind of reference is not the way to go to learn language or some API.
Once you learn enough of language or library basics to be confident to write programs or custom library then using reference helps to find unknown details needed for coding or to finalize your existing skills for the purpose of learning.

That is the purpose of reference, to upgrade your existing skills or to find additional information.

The first paragraph here is exactly right, I just to correct the second one. The purpose of a reference is simply a memory aid. Unless it's something you use all the time or has really simple semantics, you're not going to remember perfectly all the possible behaviors and requirements of a function or class. You're just going to learn that the tool exists, what it can be used for, and maybe how to use it to do specific things as a coding speed improvement. When you need to use it to do something unusual you're going to go to the reference to figure out how you need to call it, whether it needs initialization etc., and what its expected behavior should be.

But yes, you don't learn the language by reading the reference. The standard library is really just another library. It has a special place simply because it's always (well, kind of. It depends on the environment) there and thus it's convenient, but why would you specially memorize the standard library and not, say, the BSD sockets API, or the Windows or POSIX API?

[George P]

A good reference section is my main requirement for my quest to relearn C++.

For the reference part, probably the ultimate and most useful online reference resource:
https://en.cppreference.com/w/

While there are lots of sample bits of code at cppreference the site is not designed to learn/relearn C/C++.

You want to learn/relearn C++ try:
https://www.learncpp.com/

Both sites above are a lot more up-to-date than CPlusPlus. Both are still actively being reworked.

My main requirement from this site was the reference section.

CPlusPlus isn't a bad reference/tutorial site, it is just years out of date.

C++ continues to evolve. C++20 is now the current standard with C++23(?) being worked on.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%2B%2B20

C17 is the current standard, C2x is the next iteration.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C17_(C_standard_revision)

I can't seem to find a definitive answer which C version is encapsulated in C++'s C library. It looks to be C99. Though not all C99 features were ported over.

[zapshe]

My problem is that the reference and article, that I hoped would be useful, are stagnant with little hope of being refreshed

I'd have to disagree.

Learncpp.com is where you should go to LEARN C++.

But this website has documentation that is simple and straight to the point. I regularly come here to look up things, a lot nicer than other sites.

[George P]

I have to agree with ya, zapshe. If'n I need to look up something C++11 or earlier I look here.

cppreference is more up-to-date, but it is a lot more technical oriented. Sometimes to the point of being incomprehensible for someone who is self-taught like me.

[malibor]

cppreference is definitely the best source but full of language lawyering difficult to to follow.

I think the only way to be useful to casual person is to take a hard month or so to learn nothing else but language terminology and rules.

ex. what is declarator, what is ADL, what is expression, what is overload resolution, what's the difference between using directive and using declaration etc. and how does all this stuff work in detail.

Once you grasp all this as a first step following the reference should be pretty easy and you get a bonus of grasping language lawyering which is good.

I mainly agree with you but think you may not have seen my introductory posts.

I get your point and different people take different approach to learn, I'm just giving my suggestions that I personally follow and find them most useful.

In any case I don't think deleting your account would get you anything, forums and articles such as those on cplusplus are useful learning and reference source, you will come back sooner or later, everybody does occasianally read reference on this site.

I suggest you stay ;)

[zapshe]

you will come back sooner or later, everybody does

They always come back for me. Something about me I guess.

[zapshe]

@Gary The Monkey

What's your goal? Are you trying to learn C++ or trying to find a good reference site?

[malibor]

To quickly review and learn new language features I suggest this site:
https://github.com/AnthonyCalandra/modern-cpp-features

It's not complete but find several such sites and add it to your bookmarks.

[JRManx]

Furry Guy wrote:

cppreference is more up-to-date, but it is a lot more technical oriented. Sometimes to the point of being incomprehensible for someone who is self-taught like me.

Agreed. I do use it occasionally, mainly when I'm looking for something that's not in the Reference section here.