How to develop small software or application? [closed]

Question

Hya Gurus,

I've been learning c++ for 8 - 10 months and want to develop a software or small applications (i am self taught using some books) so just consider me as C++ entry level programmer.since i don't know win32 etc for GUI development i can use some library. I know most of c++ features , data structs , algos and have read some c++ book and scott meyer's effective c++.

but problem is that i am unable integrate all my knowledge to build a software and i think i am a adhoc coder. when i see even small simulation or little application codes i understand the code sometimes (sometimes not since understanding them is hard by just seeing code) but i find even code of page 4 - 7 so large that i think i can't develop applications.

for e.g : if i want to develop my own chm reader or FTP or any appz or softw you consider serious coding, how do i develop it? then i find myself completely lost by just start typing code i know won't ever be able to develop it. (i feel 0% confident)

so what i want to know how programmers like you guyz learn to develop serious application when after drilling their teeths in c++ only, do i need some other books to learn how to develop software? or what is the process to become serious application developer ?

Any help is very appreciated.

P.S (Impotant) : i'd love if you could tell me how you became serious developer after learning C++ , what you had done etc pleaseeeeeeeeee. and any personal advices to me .

Edit:

I don't know UML or Soft Engineering , do i need to learn them?

Thanks a lot again ))

Answer 1

Programming large applications is a long and arduous process. Even with medium sized software.

Even the veterans need time to read new code. I remember just recently starting work on an existing software project that had around 150 classes. It took a while just to figure out how the basic input was handled, let alone the whole structure.

What you need to focus on is increase your confidence in building software.

Try creating something trivial, something you know you can program. Try to make it a bit bigger by adding some features, not much though, and keep doing that. Over time you will be a bit more confident in big code.

Programming takes practice and you need to keep at it. It might sound like a daunting undertaking but real confidence in a language takes years of practicing.

Look at the questions here about good software books as well.