Programming Guide

Unreal Engine 4 provides two toolsets for programmers which can also be used in tandem to accelerate development workflows. New gameplay classes, Slate and Canvas user interface elements, and editor functionality can be written with C++, and all changes will be reflected in Unreal Editor after compiling with either Visual Studio or XCode. The Blueprints visual scripting system is a robust tool which enables classes to be created in-editor through wiring together function blocks and property references.

C++ classes can be used as a base for Blueprint classes, and in this way programmers can set up fundamental gameplay classes that are then sub-classed and iterated on by level designers.

Getting Started

Programming Quick Start

Create your first code project and add a new C++ class.

Introduction to C++ Programming in UE4

Introductory guide for C++ programmers new to Unreal Engine

Development Setup

C++ Class Wizard

An overview of the C++ Class Wizard in UE4.

Console Variables in C++

Overview of the Console Manager and implementation details for creating console variables.

UnrealVS Extension

Guide for installing, setting up, and using the UnrealVS extension for Visual Studio.

Build Configurations Reference

Reference guide for solution and project build configurations.

Building Unreal Engine from Source

Compiling Unreal Engine from source.

Coding Standard

Standards and conventions used by Epic Games in the Unreal Engine 4 codebase.

Compiling Game Projects

Compiling individual game projects using Visual Studio on Windows, or Xcode on Mac.

Managing Game Code

Adding code and generating project files.

Programming Tools

Applications, tools, and add-ins that are useful for programmers working with Unreal Engine.

Setting Up Visual Studio for Unreal Engine

Tips, tricks, and techniques for setting up Visual Studio for development with Unreal Engine 4.

Unreal Engine Architecture

Whether you are programming with C++, Blueprints, or a combination of the two, the underlying Unreal architecture is the same.

Functions

Node graphs that can be executed, or called, from another graph.

Gameplay Classes

Reference to creating and implementing gameplay classes.

Interfaces

Reference to creating and implementing interfaces.

Metadata Specifiers

Metadata keywords used when declaring UClasses, UFunctions, UProperties, UEnums, and UInterfaces to specify how they behave with various aspects of the Engine and Editor.

Structs

Reference to creating and implementing structs for gameplay classes.

Gameplay Modules

Collections of gameplay classes belonging to a game project compiled into DLLs.

Plugins

How to create Unreal Engine plugins.

Gameplay Ability System

High-level view of the Gameplay Ability System

Gameplay Architecture

Actors

Explanations of the basic gameplay elements, Actors and Objects.

Delegates

Data types that reference and execute member functions on C++ objects.

Properties

Reference for creating and implementing properties for gameplay classes.

String Handling

An overview of the string classes available in UE4 and reference guides for FName, FText, and FString

TArray: Arrays in Unreal Engine

Gameplay Timers

Timer construct for performing actions at set intervals.

TMap

TMaps are primarily defined by two types - a key type and a value type - which are stored as associated pairs in the map.

TSet

TSets are a fast container class to store (usually) unique elements in a context where the order is irrelevant.

TSubclassOf

Objects

Explanations of the basic gameplay elements, Actors and Objects.

Unreal Smart Pointer Library

Custom implementation of shared pointers, including weak pointers and non-nullable shared references.

Unreal Object Handling

Overview of the features of the UObject system.

Gameplay Guides

Game-Controlled Cameras 4.9

First Person Shooter Tutorial 4.15

Player Input and Pawns 4.9

Variables, Timers, and Events 4.9

Components and Collision 4.9

Player-Controlled Cameras 4.9

User Interface With UMG 4.14

Unreal Engine API Reference

Unreal Engine C++ API Reference

API programming reference for Unreal Engine C++ source code.

Core

CoreUObject

Engine

System Guides

Animation Node Technical Guide

Guide to creating new nodes for use within graphs in Anim Blueprints.

Blueprints Technical Guide

Technical guide for programmers working with Blueprints.

Online Subsystem Steam

An overview of Online Subsystem Steam, including how to set up your project for distribution on Valve's Steam platform.

Online Subsystem Overview

Overview of the various systems related to the online platform.

Graphics Programming

Information for graphics programmers working with the rendering systems and writing shaders.

Slate UI Framework

Cross-platform user interface framework for creating tool and in-game UIs.

Automation System Overview

Overview of the automation system used for unit testing, feature testing, and content stress testing.

Automated Builds

BuildGraph Script Conditions

Learn the syntax needed to write BuildGraph script conditions.

BuildGraph Script Elements

Learn about BuildGraph Elements.

BuildGraph Script Types

Learn about valid data types for BuildGraph attributes.

BuildGraph Usage

This page shows you how to use BuildGraph Scripts.

BuildGraph

Customize your builds with the BuildGraph scripting system.

Asset Handling Reference Guides

Asynchronous Asset Loading

Methods for loading and unloading assets during runtime.

Asset Registry

How assets are discovered by the editor and how to make it know more about asset types before they are loaded.