Why is C++ documentation SO BAD?! #cpp #cppreference #coding

[codingwithmat]

What's your favourite complicated cppreference page? 😅

[Tms]

That site is not intended for beginners. It's meant to be very precise, not-beginner friendly. It assumes you're somewhere familiar with C++.

[germanassasin]

But cppreference isn't a documentation. It is an attempt to translate c++ standard from standardese to something that humans can understand. It is not a place where you should learn c++. Use something like learncpp or cppcon back to basics series.

[LudwigvanBeethoven]

Atleast its detailed. Some documentations go the other way, that is too simple and doesn't give much detail

[avramlevitter]

I think a bit of the confusion here is that cppreference isn't meant to be a resource for beginners, it's meant to be an open-source copy of the C++ ISO standard that's better categorized and formatted. There are plenty of other websites with better C++ beginner resources that can give a much better explanation of what std::forward does.

[aberba]

You seem to still misunderstand here. A language reference is a technical document, not exactly a documentation (learning document) like you seem to think. Have you seen the JavaScript reference? It's complicated too.

It's like looking at a building schematics, they're technical. They're not meant for beginners. With that said, C++ isn't a clean language either so that doesn't make it easier, so many exceptions to exceptions, and complicated template/generics salad.

[jaime]

so true, sometimes i get chatgpt to write some clearer example code if i need to understand something where the docs are too confusing

[nexovec]

Tbh. Cppreference is actually not that terrible, ever seen llvm doxygen files?

[johanngerell]

To be fair, "if as a beginner" - I can't see a reasonable scenario where a beginner would *need* std::forward...

[Mr.Not_Sure]

That's why people learn C++ in colleges or by reading books or tutorials.
The cppreference site is reference, not tutorial.

[imnirajan]

just because u don't like it doesn't mean it's bad. Cppreference is one of top-notch documentation of high quality. I would never want it to be like geeksforgeeks or some tutorial blog.

[vitspenatek]

You're confusing a reference with a learning material/how-to, mate. That's not how things work and you KNOW it.

[kinershah]

I think Cppref is very good. Its detailed, structured, has examples and I dont need to look anywhere else for more info, everything is there in that page.
Beginners need to learn to read the docs at some point, it can be overwhelming yes but its usually precise. One needs to read it patiently.

[Mustlight]

I completely agree on you with this. If i want to learn something new, i don't generally use documentation because of the complexity of some of the code.

[aniketbisht]

It's a reference. Spells in the name itself. As a professional C++ developer, it's an invaluable resource to me: it's concise, detailed and thoroughly updated. Every detail mentioned in those function signatures are important for a library user. As for this particular example, it's not meant to teach you move semantics and just documents std::forward and it's usage.

[WadDeIz]

If I look up something for cpp and shit like this comes up I just go to chatgpt

[shadowchasernql]

Yup! And that's why I'm a pure C guy all the way! I can have a whole reference, step-by-step tutorial and guide and erratas all on my desk, and in less than one claws-length too! It's lovely!

[martinprochazka]

To be fair, as a beginner you have ten thousand other things to worry about before std::forward becomes relevant to you and when it does you're no longer a beginner.

[Candyrizz]

From POV after some time or year you get good understanding of thing by syntax than documentation and also documentation is important but for that u can find other site not standard c++ documentation see people at different stage need to see different thing and this is the highest peek

[thegoodguy]

for your information std::forward is not for beginners.