CPE – C++ Certified Entry-Level Programmer Certification

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CPE – C++ Certified Entry-Level Programmer certification is an interim step to the CPA – C++ Certified Associate Programmer certification and the starting point to launch a career in software development, low-level and middle-level programming, C++ programming, and related technologies. Becoming CPE certified will help you stand out from other candidates and get your foot in the door.

CPE – C++ Certified Entry-Level Programmer certification shows that the individual is familiar with universal computer programming concepts like compilation, variables, data types, typecasting, operators, conditional execution, loops, arrays, pointers, structures, and the runtime environment.

Exam Information

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CPE – C++ Certified Entry-Level Programmer Certification: Exam Syllabus

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General objectives covered by the exam

• basic input/output: std::cin, std::cout, std::cerr and stream manipulators: endl, setw
• general C++ syntax (including C++ keywords) and semantics, block structure, block nesting, identifiers’ scopes, flow control instructions
• defining and invoking functions, declaring and using vectors, structures, and strings
• declaring and using pointers.

Exam block #1: Syntax, literals, and operators (28%)

Objectives covered by the block (9 exam items)

• C++ syntax fundamentals: literals, symbols, code blocks, and keywords
• C++ built-in types and their literals
• main() function declaration conventions and parameters
• operators: unary and binary, priorities and binding
• numeric operators: * / % + –
• post- and pre- increment and decrement operators: ++, —
• short-circuit evaluations
• bitwise operators: ~ & ^ | << >>
• logical (Boolean) operators: ! && ||
• relational operators: == != > >= < <=
• assignment and shortcut operators: = op=
• basics of I/O streams operation

Exam block #2: Flow control and functions (28%)

Objectives covered by the block (8 exam items)

• conditional execution keywords: if, else
• loop keywords: while, do, for
• controlling loop execution keywords: break, continue
• goto keyword and labeled statements
• multiple-selection keywords: switch, case, default keywords
• exiting the function: return keyword
• defining, declaring and invoking functions
• typed and void functions, return statement
• passing arguments to parameters: by value, by reference, by pointer
• recursion

Exam block #3: Vectors and pointers (24%)

Objectives covered by the block (7 exam items)

• declaring, initializing and using vectors, declaring multidimensional arrays
• the data() method
• declaring pointers to C++ entities, the nullptr pointer
• dereferencing pointers: * operator
• obtaining pointers to existing data: & operator
• converting pointers using static_cast and dynamic_cast operators
• assigning and releasing memory: new, delete and delete[] operators

Exam block #4: Structures and strings (20%)

Objectives covered by the block (6 exam items)

• declaring and using structures
• accessing structure’s fields using . operator
• vectors of structures: declaring and accessing
• the std::string type and string literals
• declaring, initializing, and using strings
• basic string operations, comparing strings

First published: November 15, 2012

Last updated: March 25, 2021

Aligned with Exam CPE-20-01