C/C++ Programming Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to C/C++ Programming

Objective: Understand the history and fundamentals of C and C++, and set up the programming environment.

1. Introduction to Programming Languages

   • Overview of C and C++: History, uses, and importance
   • Differences and similarities between C and C++
   • Applications of C and C++ in various fields (systems programming, game development, embedded systems)

2. Setting Up the Development Environment

   • Installing C and C++ compilers (GCC, MinGW, Clang)
   • Introduction to IDEs (Code::Blocks, Visual Studio, Eclipse, CLion) and text editors (VS Code, Sublime Text)
   • Writing, compiling, and running your first program

3. Understanding the Structure of a C/C++ Program

   • Basic structure: Preprocessor directives, main function, header files, and source files
   • Basic input/output using printf() and scanf() in C, and cout and cin in C++
   • Compilation process: Compilation, linking, and execution

Module 2: Variables, Data Types, and Operators

Objective: Learn how to define variables, use data types, and perform basic operations in C and C++.

1. Variables and Constants

   • Declaring variables and constants in C/C++
   • Data types: int, char, float, double, and more
   • Type casting and type conversion

2. Operators in C/C++

   • Arithmetic operators: +, -, *, /, %
   • Relational operators: ==, !=, <, >, <=, >=
   • Logical operators: &&, ||, !
   • Assignment operators: =, +=, -=, *=, /=, %=

3. Control Flow Statements

   • Conditional statements: if, else, else if
   • Switch-case statements
   • Looping structures: for, while, do-while

4. Basic Input and Output

   • Using printf(), scanf() in C for formatted input/output
   • Using cin and cout in C++ for basic input/output
   • Formatting output: width, precision, and escape sequences

Module 3: Functions and Arrays

Objective: Learn how to organize code using functions, and how to use arrays in C/C++.

1. Functions in C/C++

   • Function declaration, definition, and calling
   • Function parameters: passing by value and passing by reference
   • Return types and function overloading (in C++)

2. Scope and Lifetime of Variables

   • Local and global variables
   • Static variables
   • Function prototypes and header files

3. Arrays

   • Declaring and initializing arrays in C/C++
   • Multidimensional arrays: 2D arrays, array of arrays
   • Array manipulation: accessing, updating, and traversing arrays
   • Passing arrays to functions

4. Strings in C/C++

   • String handling in C using character arrays
   • Using C++ string class
   • String manipulation: concatenation, comparison, length, and finding characters

Module 4: Pointers and Memory Management

Objective: Gain an understanding of pointers, dynamic memory allocation, and memory management.

1. Introduction to Pointers

   • What are pointers and why they are important
   • Declaring and initializing pointers
   • Pointer arithmetic: incrementing, decrementing, and comparing pointers
   • Dereferencing pointers and pointer types (void pointers, pointer to pointer)

2. Dynamic Memory Allocation

   • Memory management using malloc(), calloc(), free() in C
   • Using new and delete in C++
   • Dynamic arrays and resizing
   • Memory leaks and how to avoid them

3. Pointer to Functions and Arrays

   • Function pointers and passing them to other functions
   • Arrays of pointers and pointer to arrays
   • Using pointers with strings

4. Structures and Unions

   • Declaring and defining structures in C/C++
   • Accessing structure members using pointers
   • Understanding unions and differences from structures
   • Passing structures to functions

Module 5: Object-Oriented Programming (C++)

Objective: Learn the principles of object-oriented programming (OOP) in C++.

1. Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming

   • Understanding OOP concepts: Encapsulation, Abstraction, Inheritance, Polymorphism
   • The difference between procedural and object-oriented programming

2. Classes and Objects

   • Defining classes and creating objects in C++
   • Constructors and destructors
   • Member functions and data members
   • Access specifiers: private, public, and protected

3. Inheritance

   • Basics of inheritance: base class and derived class
   • Types of inheritance: single, multiple, and multilevel inheritance
   • Using protected and private inheritance

4. Polymorphism and Abstraction

   • Function overloading and operator overloading
   • Virtual functions and runtime polymorphism
   • Abstract classes and pure virtual functions
   • Overriding functions and method overriding

5. Exception Handling

   • Understanding exceptions and error handling in C++
   • Using try, catch, and throw for exception handling
   • Creating custom exception classes

Module 6: Advanced C/C++ Concepts

Objective: Explore advanced topics such as file handling, templates, and the Standard Template Library (STL).

1. File Handling

   • Reading from and writing to files in C/C++
   • Using file streams: ifstream, ofstream, and fstream
   • File operations: open, close, read, write, and error handling
   • Binary vs. text files

2. C++ Templates

   • Introduction to templates: function templates and class templates
   • Template specialization and template overloading
   • Using templates with standard containers

3. The Standard Template Library (STL)

   • Overview of the STL and its components
   • Working with containers: vectors, lists, sets, maps
   • Using iterators and algorithms (sorting, searching, etc.)
   • Using stack, queue, and deque containers

4. Multithreading and Concurrency

   • Introduction to multithreading in C++
   • Thread creation and synchronization (mutex, locks, etc.)
   • Managing concurrent tasks and avoiding race conditions

Module 7: Algorithms and Data Structures

Objective: Learn about essential algorithms and data structures used in C/C++ programming.

1. Basic Data Structures

   • Arrays, linked lists (singly and doubly linked)
   • Stacks, queues, and priority queues
   • Hash tables and hash maps

2. Sorting and Searching Algorithms

   • Sorting algorithms: Bubble Sort, Selection Sort, Insertion Sort, Quick Sort, Merge Sort
   • Searching algorithms: Linear Search, Binary Search
   • Time complexity analysis of algorithms (Big-O notation)

3. Advanced Data Structures

   • Trees (Binary Tree, Binary Search Tree, AVL Tree)
   • Graphs (adjacency matrix and adjacency list)
   • Heap and Trie data structures

4. Algorithm Design Techniques

   • Divide and conquer
   • Greedy algorithms
   • Dynamic programming
   • Backtracking

Module 8: C/C++ Project and Best Practices

Objective: Apply your knowledge in real-world projects and understand the best practices in C/C++ programming.

1. Developing a Complete C/C++ Project

   • Identifying project requirements and planning
   • Designing the software architecture
   • Writing clean, modular, and reusable code
   • Debugging and optimizing code

2. Best Practices in C/C++ Programming

   • Code style and naming conventions
   • Writing comments and documentation
   • Error handling and debugging techniques
   • Version control with Git

3. Testing and Debugging

   • Writing unit tests for C/C++ programs
   • Using debugging tools (gdb, Visual Studio Debugger)
   • Profiling and optimizing the performance of your application

Course Outcome

By the end of this course, you will:

• Have a solid understanding of C and C++ programming languages and their applications
• Be proficient in using core concepts such as variables, data types, functions, pointers, and memory management
• Master Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) in C++
• Be able to implement data structures, algorithms, and solve complex problems
• Have the skills to create efficient, optimized, and robust C/C++ applications
• Be ready to take on projects in systems programming, game development, embedded systems, and more

Target Audience:
This course is ideal for beginners and intermediate learners who want to become proficient in C and C++ programming. It is suitable for those aspiring to enter software development, game development, systems programming, or anyone interested in understanding the fundamentals of programming.