Like all the books in the Schaum's Outline series, this book is intended for self-study, preferably in combination with a standard course in the C++ programming language or computer science. However, it is also suitable for use in independent study or as a reference manual.

The book includes over 200 examples and solved problems. The author firmly believes that learning the principles of data structures can be achieved through a well-organized collection of examples with comprehensive answers. This book is designed to provide that support.

C++ was created by Bjarne Stroustrup in the early 1980s. It is based on C and Simula, and today it is one of the most popular object-oriented programming languages. The language was standardized in 1998 by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This new ANSI/ISO standard includes the powerful Standard Template Library (STL). This book fully complies with these standards.

Although most who start learning C++ already have some prior programming experience, this is not considered a prerequisite here. The approach to C++ is taken as if it is the first programming language. Thus, those with prior experience will only need to glance at the early chapters.

C++ is a difficult language, at least for two reasons. It inherits from the C language an economy of expression that beginners often find cryptic. And as an object-oriented language, the extensive use of classes and templates presents a tremendous challenge to those who have not thought in such terms until now. The purpose of this book is to provide the necessary help to new programmers to overcome these hurdles.