ALGOSYNTAX BLOG

From Blueprints to C++: Your First C++ Component in UE5 (Beginner Tutorial)

November 4, 2026

Works in Unreal Engine 5.0 to 5.8. Updated November 2026.

Quick answer: don’t convert your whole project. Move one piece:

Tools > New C++ Class, pick Actor Component, name it HealthComponent.
Add a variable with UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite) and a function with UFUNCTION(BlueprintCallable).
Compile, add the component to a Blueprint, and call the function from your graph like any other node.

C++ does the work, and your Blueprints keep doing what they’re good at.

Before you start: the UE6 question

Epic announced that UE6 will remove the C++ Gameplay Framework along with Blueprints, so rewriting your gameplay in C++ won’t carry it into UE6. Learn C++ because it helps you today: faster heavy logic, access to engine features Blueprints don’t expose, and plugin work. Engine-level work in UE6 stays C++, and typed code is a good step towards Verse. Details in our UE6 summary.

You need Visual Studio 2022 or Rider with the C++ game development workload installed.

Step 1: Create the class

In the editor, open Tools > New C++ Class.
Choose Actor Component and click Next.
Name it HealthComponent and click Create Class.

Unreal adds the files, converts a Blueprint-only project to a C++ one if needed, and compiles. The first build takes a few minutes.

Step 2: Write the header

Open HealthComponent.h. Add the variables and the function inside the class, below GENERATED_BODY():

				
					public:
    UPROPERTY(EditAnywhere, BlueprintReadWrite, Category = "Health")
    float MaxHealth = 100.f;

    UPROPERTY(BlueprintReadOnly, Category = "Health")
    float Health = 100.f;

    UFUNCTION(BlueprintCallable, Category = "Health")
    void TakeHit(float Amount);

    UFUNCTION(BlueprintPure, Category = "Health")
    bool IsDead() const { return Health <= 0.f; }

UPROPERTY makes a variable show up in the Details panel and in Blueprints.
UFUNCTION(BlueprintCallable) makes a node with an execution pin. BlueprintPure makes a node without one, like a getter.

Step 3: Write the function

Open HealthComponent.cpp and add:

				
					void UHealthComponent::TakeHit(float Amount)
{
    Health = FMath::Clamp(Health - Amount, 0.f, MaxHealth);
}

In BeginPlay(), which the template already created, add Health = MaxHealth; so every actor starts full.

Step 4: Use it from Blueprints

Compile from your IDE, or click the Live Coding button at the bottom right of the editor.
Open your character Blueprint and click Add, then search for Health Component.
Drag the component into the graph and call Take Hit and Is Dead, just like built-in nodes.

That’s the pattern most teams use: systems in C++, tuning and gameplay glue in Blueprints.

Blueprint nodes and their C++ versions

Blueprint	C++
Event BeginPlay	`BeginPlay()`
Event Tick	`TickComponent()` (or `Tick()` on an actor)
Branch	`if (...) { } else { }`
Print String	`UE_LOG(LogTemp, Warning, TEXT("Hi"));`
Delay	A timer: `GetWorld()->GetTimerManager().SetTimer(...)`
Cast To MyCharacter	`Cast<AMyCharacter>(Actor)`
Is Valid	`IsValid(Object)`
ForEach Loop	`for (AActor* A : Actors) { }`

Common beginner problems

Problem	Fix
The new node doesn’t show in Blueprints	Check the `UFUNCTION(BlueprintCallable)` line, then compile again
Changes to the header don’t appear	Close the editor and build from the IDE. Live Coding can’t always pick up header changes
“Could not be compiled. Try rebuilding from source”	Build from the IDE to see the real error
Unresolved external symbol	See LNK2001 unresolved external symbol

Let AI help, but read what it writes. AI assistants are good at turning a Blueprint description into Unreal C++ and explaining each line. You still need to compile, test and understand the result. See how to use Claude Code with Unreal Engine.

FAQ

Do I need to know C++ before starting? No. Starting with one small component like this one is a good way to learn.

Is C++ always faster than Blueprints? For heavy maths and big loops, yes. For simple events the difference is usually too small to matter.

Should I convert my Blueprints to C++ to get ready for UE6? No. The C++ Gameplay Framework is leaving UE6 too. Convert only what makes your UE5 game better.