C Programming Roadmap

[SajalJha]

C Programming Roadmap

1. Introduction to C Programming

• Why C? – Learn about the importance of C and its applications.
• Setting up the Environment: Install a C compiler (like GCC) and an IDE (like Code::Blocks or Visual Studio Code).
• Hello World Program: Your first C program to understand the structure of a C program.

2. Basic Syntax and Data Types

• Variables and Constants:
  • Declaring and using variables
  • Types of constants (integer, float, character)
• Data Types:
  • Basic data types: int, float, char, double
  • Modifiers: short, long, signed, unsigned
• Input and Output (I/O):
  • Using `printf()` and `scanf()` for basic input/output
  • Escape sequences (e.g., `\n`, `\t`)

3. Control Flow in C

• Conditional Statements:
  • if, if-else, nested if
  • switch-case for multi-way branching
• Loops:
  • for loop, while loop, do-while loop
  • Break and continue statements
• Ternary Operator and Logical Operators:
  • Understanding conditional expressions using the ternary operator
  • Logical operators: `&&`, `||`, `!`

4. Functions in C

• Introduction to Functions:
  • Defining and calling functions
  • Function declaration (prototypes) and definition
• Types of Functions:
  • Void functions vs functions returning values
  • Recursion: Basics of recursive functions
• Scope and Lifetime of Variables:
  • Global vs local variables
  • Static variables

5. Arrays and Strings

• Arrays:
  • One-dimensional and two-dimensional arrays
  • Array manipulation (insertion, deletion)
  • Array of characters (strings)
• String Handling in C:
  • Using standard string functions (`strlen()`, `strcpy()`, `strcat()`, `strcmp()`)
  • String manipulation (reversing, concatenation)

6. Pointers in C

• Introduction to Pointers:
  • Basics of pointers and their declaration
  • Pointer arithmetic (increment, decrement)
• Pointers and Functions:
  • Passing pointers to functions
  • Pointers for dynamic memory allocation (`malloc()`, `calloc()`, `free()`)
• Pointers and Arrays:
  • Relationship between pointers and arrays
  • Pointer to an array and array of pointers
• Pointers to Pointers (Double Pointers):
  • Understanding double pointers (pointer to pointer)
  • Declaration and usage of double pointers
  • Common use cases of double pointers:
    • Dynamic memory allocation for 2D arrays
    • Passing a pointer to a function to modify its value (e.g., modifying pointers in a function)
  • Dereferencing double pointers (`**p`)
  • Memory representation and how double pointers point to memory addresses
  • Working with double pointers and `malloc()` for multi-dimensional arrays

7. Structures and Unions

• Structures:
  • Defining and using structures
  • Arrays of structures
  • Nested structures
• Unions:
  • Difference between structures and unions
  • Union usage and memory considerations
• Bit Fields: Structs and bit fields for memory-efficient programs

8. Dynamic Memory Management

• Memory Allocation in C:
  • Using `malloc()`, `calloc()`, and `realloc()` for dynamic memory allocation
  • Freeing memory with `free()`

9. File Handling in C

• File Operations:
  • Opening and closing files (`fopen()`, `fclose()`)
  • Reading from and writing to files (`fscanf()`, `fprintf()`, `fgets()`, `fputs()`)
• File Modes:
  • Different file modes: read, write, append
  • Working with binary files (`fread()`, `fwrite()`)

10. Advanced Topics in C

• Preprocessors and Macros:
  • Using `#define` for constants and macros
  • Conditional compilation using `#ifdef`, `#ifndef`
• Command Line Arguments:
  • Understanding `argc` and `argv[]`
  • Using command line arguments for input
• Memory Management and Debugging:
  • Common memory issues (e.g., memory leaks)
  • Using tools like `valgrind` to debug memory issues

Recommended Learning Path:

• 1. Basics → 2. Data Types and I/O → 3. Control Flow → 4. Functions → 5. Arrays and Pointers → 6. Structures and Unions → 7. Dynamic Memory → 8. File Handling → 9. Advanced Topics

Personal Recommendations for Practice and Learning

• CodeWithHarry C Programming Playlist
• C Programming By Jenny's Lectures
• GeeksforGeeks C Programming Tutorials
• Learn-C.org Interactive Tutorials

Popular Coding Platforms to Practice C

• HackerRank: 10 Days of C
• CodeChef