C++ Trainings

C++: 40 years later, still there where performance counts

Bjarne Stroustrup started developing what would become C++ at Bell Labs in 1979 under the name “C with Classes”. Four decades later, C++ powers video game engines (Unreal Engine), browsers (Chromium, Firefox), high-frequency financial systems, 3D and CAD tools, critical databases, embedded firmware, and a large part of the system layer of modern data and AI tools (PyTorch and TensorFlow have C++ cores).

Over the last decade, the language has modernised deeply: C++11 introduced auto, lambdas, smart pointers, threads; C++14, C++17 then C++20 brought if constexpr, structured bindings, concepts, modules, ranges, coroutines; C++23 finalises several practical modern programming aspects. Today’s modern C++ has almost nothing in common with the “raw pointers” C++ taught 20 years ago.

Profiles training on C++ at ITTA

In French-speaking Switzerland, C++ remains highly demanded on several markets: watchmaking and precision mechanics industry (embedded firmware, control), quantitative finance in Geneva (low-latency trading, pricing, risk), gaming, simulation and CAD industry, academic research (EPFL, UNIGE, CERN, international scientific organisations), automotive and mobility, and a number of deeptech scale-ups.

Our C++ audience typically comprises junior to mid-level C++ developers wanting to modernise their practice, C developers moving to C++, Java or C# developers intervening on legacy C++, scientific profiles (physics, applied mathematics) industrialising performance-critical code, and embedded engineers moving from C to modern C++.

The C++ catalogue at ITTA

OOP in C++ Fundamentals

Programming Objects with C++ – Fundamentals covers modern language syntax, fundamental types, operators, memory management, classes and encapsulation, inheritance and polymorphism, references and pointers, member and friend functions, operator overloading, introduction to templates and STL containers (vector, map, set, string), resource management best practices, and first design patterns. This is the indispensable foundation before approaching advanced C++.

OOP in C++ Advanced

Programming Objects with C++ – Advanced deepens templates and metaprogramming, smart pointers (unique_ptr, shared_ptr, weak_ptr), move semantics, lambdas and std::function, advanced STL (algorithms, iterators, ranges), concurrency (std::thread, mutex, futures, async), C++17 novelties, C++20 (concepts, modules, ranges, coroutines) and C++23 in mention. The Advanced course targets developers consolidating their modern C++ practice.

C++ vs Rust and Go: a question coming back in class

For a few years, Rust and Go have positioned as serious alternatives to C++ on some uses. Rust gains ground on memory safety and system programming, sometimes in contexts where C++ would have been the historical choice. Go appeals for cloud services and microservices. This does not mean C++ globally retreats but that the language choice must be conscious.

Our reading: C++ remains unbeatable on massive legacy (Chromium, game engines, mature scientific code, financial systems in production), on highly integrated ecosystems (Unreal, ML framework kernels, real-time embedded) and on workloads where every microsecond counts. Rust is interesting for new system projects valuing memory safety by design. Go positions on another niche (concurrent, cloud, simplicity). Our C++ training addresses this comparison honestly, without technological religion.

C++ in the ITTA ecosystem

C++ fits a broader catalogue. The object programming sub-domain covers OOP languages (C++, Java, C#). The programming languages sub-domain groups our Python, PHP, C++ training. For C++ developers integrating their code into modern stacks (Python ML, cloud services), the cross with these domains is frequent.

On the publisher side, Open Source groups libre technologies including C++. Python is often a useful complement to script and industrialise C++ code.

C++ trends in 2026

The language keeps evolving. C++20 is better and better supported by major compilers (gcc, clang, MSVC); C++23 finalises several practical aspects. Modules finally promise a drastic compilation time reduction on large projects. Concepts modernise template code. Ranges and coroutines bring modern expressive C++. On the tooling side, CMake remains dominant; static tools (clang-tidy, sanitizers, cppcheck) have become standard; conan and vcpkg progress on dependency management.

On the use case side, C++ keeps progressing on embedded (Zephyr, ESP32 + Arduino C++), keeps its position in gaming and high-frequency finance, and remains key to understand and extend the kernels of ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, ONNX Runtime).

Featured C++ courses

• Programming Objects with C++ – Fundamentals
• Programming Objects with C++ – Advanced

Anonymised profile testimonials

A junior C++ developer at a Geneva private bank takes the Fundamentals course to structure his practice and move to modern C++ code after two years on a legacy “C with classes” base. After the course, he refactored part of his pricing module with smart pointers and STL containers.

An embedded engineer at a watchmaking scale-up takes the Advanced course after Fundamentals. His goal is industrialising firmware using templates and generic programming on C++17. He leaves with a precise understanding of smart pointers and concurrency.

A postdoctoral researcher at EPFL takes both courses over six months to move her simulation code from MATLAB+Python to a performant C++ kernel. The Advanced course covers parallelisation and optimisation she could not find in official documentation.

C++ sessions in Geneva, Lausanne and virtual

Our C++ sessions are available in Geneva, Lausanne and interactive virtual classroom with an active C++ developer. For industrial, scientific or finance teams looking for grouped upskilling, in-house delivery lets us calibrate training on your code base, toolchain (gcc/clang/MSVC, CMake) and performance constraints.

C++ FAQ

Do I need C before C++?

No, not required. C experience helps to understand memory management but can also pull towards old “C with classes” habits. Our Fundamentals course starts directly from modern C++.

Modern C++ or Rust for a new system project?

Legitimate question. If the ecosystem, libraries and team skills are C++, stay in modern C++. If you start from scratch a system project with a motivated team and memory safety is critical, Rust is a serious candidate. Many projects use both in different modules.

How long to become productive in modern C++?

For a developer experienced in OOP (Java, C#), count several months of regular practice after the course to be comfortable on templates, smart pointers and memory management in production. For a senior “classical” C++ developer, upgrading to C++17/20 takes a few weeks of targeted practice.

Is C++ relevant for someone starting programming?

Not as a first language in general. Python or JavaScript provide faster feedback. C++ is an excellent second or third language, particularly to understand memory, performance and system foundations.