learning C++ without an IDE

[MFcoding]

Howdy

I was learning Python using 'learn python the hard way' and I found it extremely useful.

Anyway, now I'm learning C++ specifically because Ill need to get good at it to get a job in mathematical finance.

The 'learn x the hard way' author stresses that IDE's can make people form bad habits etc. and so I want to avoid this pitfall while learning to code in C++.

I understand it will be easier to use an IDE, but I don't mind it being ' harder ' and am just wondering if anyone out there can help me get set up and tell me the main differences (extra things i'll have to do) when learning c++ without an IDE.

Thanks in advance

[nvrmnd]

are you on windows ? basically what you'll need is a compiler and a text editor

what i recommend :

text editor ( w/ syntax highlighting ) : http://notepad-plus-plus.org/

compiler ( gcc ) : http://www.mingw.org/category/wiki/download


if you're on linux :

<package_manager> apt-get install build-essentials

[AbstractionAnon]

The 'learn x the hard way' author stresses that IDE's can make people form bad habits

I disagree with that assertion. Using an IDE has nothing to do with good or bad coding practices. IDEs are a productivity tool. If you want to be more productive as a programmer, IDEs will provide a significant amount of productivity gains.

Lets take a look at some poor coding practices:
- Use of goto statements
- Use of globals
- Lack of encapsulation
- cramming everything into a single source file

Using an IDE does not encourage any of these proactices.
I would argue that particularly with regard to encapsulation, an IDE makes for better programming since it's easy to create add or modify classes as needed rather than trying to cram everything into a single source file.

Also, using an IDE makes debugging a whole lot easier.

[metulburr]

I understand it will be easier to use an IDE, but I don't mind it being ' harder ' and am just wondering if anyone out there can help me get set up and tell me the main differences (extra things i'll have to do) when learning c++ without an IDE.

You should know how to make makefiles
http://mrbook.org/tutorials/make/

[ranfan]

What bad habits are you referring to OP?