Top 10 C++ Certifications and Courses You Should Opt For

C++ is one of the oldest programming languages that is still surviving and flourishing in the increasingly competitive landscape of programming. As such, it offers a variety of rewarding career options.

Learning C++ is easy as there are numerous modes of learning available. Once you’ve gained enough experience and knowledge of C++, you can go for a certification. Here, we will make you familiar with the 10 best C++ certifications available.

So, let’s get going.

5 Best C++ Certifications To Earn in 2022

Here is a list of the C++ certifications you can consider taking to demonstrate your skills to potential employers.

1. CPE - C++ Certified Entry-Level Programmer Certification

From : C++ Institute

Prerequisites: None

The C++ Institute is the no.1 authority in getting certified for programming proficiency with the C++ programming language. The CPE certification from C++ Institute is the entry-level certification in C++ that prepares candidates for the CPA certification.

A CPE-certified professional is all set to start a career in C++ software development. This C++ certification ensures that the candidate is well aware of the fundamentals of computer programming, which includes compilation, data types, loops, operators, data structures , and the runtime environment.

As this is an entry-level certification, there are no prerequisites for it. In order to get certified, the candidate needs to appear for the CPE-20-01 exam, which is delivered using the OpenEDG Testing Service.

Exam Details

Two courses are available in order to prepare for the C++ certification exam. One is CPA - Programming Essentials in C++, which is an instructor-led course available at the Cisco Networking Academy.

The second one is C++ Essentials - Part 1 (Basics). It is a self-study course available on the OpenEDG Education Platform.

Important features

• This C++ certification is ideal for complete beginners.
• It is available in authorized Pearson VUE testing centers.

To get started with the certification, you can sign up here .

2. CPA - C++ Certified Associate Programmer Certification

From : C++ Institute

Prerequisites: None

This is the mid-level C++ certification offered by the C++ Institute. The certification ensures that the candidate is well-versed in the fundamentals of C++, in addition to having a sound understanding of techniques used in OOPS.

Currently, there are two exams available for the program, namely CPA-21-01 and CPA-21-02. While the former is an old certification exam that is soon to be retired, the latter is the newer one. A CPA-certified professional has a good ability in:

• Data types, semantics, and syntax of the C++ programming language.
• Resolving usual implementation problems using standard and third-party C++ libraries.
• The principles of the object-oriented programming paradigm and implementation of the same in C++.
• Various concepts of computer programming .

The CPA exam covers many topics. It covers an introduction to compiling and software development, data aggregates, the object-oriented approach, declaring, defining, and invoking functions, user-defined operators, and exceptions.

75 minutes are awarded for clearing the CPA exams. 65 minutes are for attempting the exam questions and 10 minutes are for going through the non-disclosure agreement. The following table highlights the difference between the CPA-21-01 and CPA-21-02 exams:

CPA - C++ Certified Associate Programmer Exam Details

The exams feature single-choice and multiple-choice questions, and you can purchase them via the OpenEDG Voucher Store. The exam fee is USD 295.

Important features

• Candidates get two chances to clear the CPA certification exam.
• It is one of the most recognizable global C++ certifications.

You can enroll here .

3. CPP - C++ Certified Professional Programmer Certification

From : C++ Institute

Prerequisites: CPA - C++ Certified Associate Programmer

This is the top-level certification in the C++ programming language offered by the C++ Institute. It certifies that a candidate has advanced-level proficiency in software development using C++ and related tools and technologies.

Getting the CPP certification ensures that a candidate has enough advanced knowledge of C++ to use templates and the Standard Template Library . The candidate is also capable of solving typical programming problems using the STL predefined classes and methods.

To successfully get the CPP - C++ Certified Professional Programmer certification, the candidate needs to appear in and clear the CPP-22-02 exam.

Exam Details

Candidates can prepare for the exam via various courses available online, books, tutorials, YouTube video lectures, and so on. A candidate gets two chances to clear the advanced C++ certification exam.

Important features

• It is an advanced C++ certification.
• This certification is recognized globally.
• The C++ certification has no expiration date.

You can sign up for the certification here .

4. C++ Certification by W3Schools

From : W3Schools

Prerequisites: None

One of the most reliable places to learn coding online is W3Schools. It provides a huge selection of web development courses.. The C++ Certification from W3Schools is a fully-online certification program aimed at professionals with busy schedules.

The certification program covers all the fundamentals and advanced concepts of C++, including inheritance, data types, compilation, polymorphism, and OOPs principles.

Exam Details

There is no expiration date for this C++ certification. Moreover, you can also highlight it on your LinkedIn profile. The certification course comes with flexible deadlines so that you can complete it at your own speed.

Important features

• You get two attempts to clear the certification exam.
• All the required study material is freely available at W3Schools.
• W3Schools have already given out 50k+ certificates.

Get started with the certification here .

5. Star C++ Programming

From : STAR Certification

Prerequisites:

This C++ certification is intended for beginners and intermediate-level developers. It ensures that the candidate has an in-depth understanding of the fundamentals of C++, including OOPS concepts, arrays, functions, classes, pointers, and I/O data management.

The certification course details creating C++ programs, arranging data systematically with arrays, and handling exceptions to minimize errors. The course also explains the basics of programming, classes and objects, tokens, expressions and control structures, and file management.

Exam Details

After the successful completion of the C++ certification course, a candidate is able to describe object-oriented programming concepts and efficiently use functions and pointers in C++ programs.

Certified candidates are also able to comprehend and use constructors and destructors, create programs using arrays and strings, and control errors with exception handling.

Important features

• It is a flexible certification course.
• This is a newer C++ certification program that is gaining popularity fast.

Sign up here for this certification.

5 Best C++ Certification Programs

Now, let us have a glance at a list of some popular C++ certification programs that offer you a certification upon completion of the course.

1. CPA C++ Certified Associate Programmer Certification Course

From: Udemy

Level: Beginner

Duration: 3 hours 38 minutes

Instructor: Dr. Chris Mall

This is a C++ certification course that prepares candidates for clearing the CPA-21-01 exam. The course consists of 6 sections and 28 video lectures.

With this course, candidates will be able to successfully clear the CPA certification exam and start working in the field of software development. The C++ certification course comes with 8 articles and 7 coding exercises.

Dr. Chris Mall has created the course. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and many IT certifications, including CySA+ and PRINCE2 Practitioner. He is an experienced educator with over 30 courses on Udemy.

As it is a beginner-friendly course, there are no prerequisites for it. It is a completely updated course and features 7 coding exercises to ensure that the candidates learn C++ software development with practicing.

Important features

• It is accessible via mobile and TV.
• The course instructor has taught over 30k students worldwide.
• This C++ course is excellent for learning how to create fully operable apps quickly.
• This is an ideal course to prepare for the CPA - C++ Certified Associate Programming Certification.

To start learning the course, you can enroll here .

2. Introduction to C++

From : Coursera (and Infosec)

Level: Beginner

Duration: 3 hours

Instructor: Martin Dubois

It is a beginner-level C++ certification course. The course has only 10 pre-recorded video lectures spread across 3 sections.

This is the first course in the Writing Secure Code in C++ Specialization offered by Infosec. It is a firm specializing in skill development and certifications for IT and cybersecurity professionals.

The first section of the C++ certification course details writing secure code using the C and C++ programming languages .

Further, the second section of C++ course explains the use of cppcheck, which is a static code analysis tool for C and C++, for checking the security of your C++ code. The final section of the course details the particularities of C++ that includes:

• Buffer overflow
• C++ strings
• Integer manipulation
• Security-enhanced version of CRT functions.

The course instructor is Martin Dubois. He offers 4 courses on Coursera. The course comes with flexible deadlines. Thus, learners can finish the course in the order they find fit.

Important features

• It is an ideal course to learn developing secure C++ code.
• This is one of the most compact C++ certification courses.

You can sign up for the course here .

3. Professional Certificate in C++ Programming Essentials

From : edX (and IBM)

Level: Advanced

Duration: 5 months (3 to 4 hours/week)

It is an advanced C++ certification offered by IBM via the popular online learning platform, edX. The course covers the fundamentals of C++, such as control structures, data types, and operators, developing logic with arrays, functions, and pointers, and working with data structures.

This popular C++ certification requires candidates to complete 3 courses that are available on edX. These are Fundamentals of C++, Object Oriented Implementation Using C++, and Data Structures & Algorithms Using C++.

A candidate successfully completing the C++ certification course will be able to work with exception handling blocks, analyze algorithms, implement linear and non-linear data structures, and appreciate and use object-oriented approaches and principles.

The course is delivered via pre-recorded video lectures that are delivered by 8 instructors. All of them are IBM-certified educators. Moreover, the course content includes quizzes and coding exercises to ensure a superior learning experience.

Important features

• It is a great certification option to demonstrate a deep understanding of the inner workings of the C++ programming language.
• The certification program covers additional tools and technologies required for C++ software development.
• It is a self-paced C++ certification program.

Get started with the certification course here .

4. Beginning C++ Programming - From Beginner to Beyond

From : Udemy

Level: All

Duration: 46 hours

Instructor: Tim Buchalka’s Learn Programming Academy and Dr. Frank Mitropoulos

It is a C++ certification course for everyone. The course leverages a modern version of C++ to explain software development to learners. It is a comprehensive C++ course that covers a wide variety of beginner as well as advanced topics like inheritance and polymorphic functions.

This is a big course consisting of 26 sections and 305 video lectures. Candidates don’t require anything more than a computer to benefit from this C++ certification course.

To deliver a great learning experience, the C++ course comes with a galore of assignments, coding exercises, and quizzes. Moreover, the C++ certification course comes with 2 articles and 53 downloadable resources.

The course is prepared by Tim Buchalka’s Learn Programming Academy and Dr. Frank Mitropoulos. The former has educated over 1.5 million students, while the latter is a seasoned computer scientist and educator with over 3 decades of experience.

Beginning C++ Programming - From Beginner to Beyond is among the most popular courses on Udemy, with over 205k candidates enrolled for the course so far. Moreover, the C++ certification course is available in 15 languages, including Dutch, French, Portuguese, and Vietnamese.

Important features

• It is a “Bestseller” course on Udemy.
• The course has received 49.9k+ reviews and it flaunts an impressive 4.6-star rating.
• The course features 37 coding exercises.

You can enroll in the course here .

5. Introduction to C++ Programming and Unreal

From : Coursera (and University of Colorado)

Level: Intermediate

Duration: 20 hours

Instructor: Dr. Tim Chamillard

In this course, candidates learn C++ programming in the context of working with the Unreal Engine. Hence, it is an ideal course for candidates looking to learn game development using the C++ programming language.

This course is the first of the four courses in the C++ Programming for Unreal Game Development Specialization, which is also offered by the University of Colorado. The course is delivered by Dr. Tim Chamillard, who is an Associate Professor at the University of Colorado.

Introduction to C++ Programming and Unreal is a new C++ course that has been taken by over 5.2k students so far. The course comprises four modules as follows:

• Module 1: Write your first C++ console application and Unreal script
• Module 2: Learn how we store and use data in our programs
• Module 3: Learn how we use classes and objects to implement our code
• Module 4: Learn the basics of Unreal Engine

It is an intermediate-level C++ certification course that requires candidates to have some experience with programming and game development.

Important features

• The course successfully combines C++ programming and game development.
• It comes with flexible deadlines and pre-recorded video lectures.
• Financial aid is available.

Get started with the course by enrolling here .

Conclusion

A C++ certification will help you to enhance your resume and make it more enticing to potential employers. Different C++ certifications assure different skill sets of a candidate.

For example, the Introduction to C++ Programming and Unreal certification is ideal for candidates interested in video game development using C++ and Unreal Engine.

As a result, you must pick a certification that aligns with your goals and interests. Moreover, you can also go for multiple C++ certifications.

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