C Programming: Complete Master Syllabus

This syllabus is divided into four logical phases. It covers the core C standard (C99/C11) and focuses on the "C way" of thinking—emphasizing memory management and performance.

Phase 1: Foundations (The Basics)

The goal of this phase is to understand syntax and control the flow of a program.

• Introduction: History of C, Compiler vs. Interpreter, and setting up GCC.
• Basic Syntax: Variables, Constants, and c_keywords.
• Data Types: Primary (int, float, char) and c_fixed_width_integers.
• Operators: Arithmetic, Relational, Logical, and c_bitwise_operators.
• Control Flow: If-else statements, Switch-case, and ternary operators.
• Loops: For, While, and Do-While loops; break and continue.

Phase 2: Data Structures & Memory

In C, managing data means managing memory. This phase is the heart of the language.

• Arrays: 1D and 2D arrays, memory mapping of elements.
• Strings: Character arrays, null-terminator (\0), and c_string functions.
• Pointers (The Core): Pointer arithmetic, pointer-to-pointer, and the & and * operators.
• Functions: Call by value vs. Call by reference, recursion.
• Storage Classes: c_storage_classes (auto, static, extern, register).

Phase 3: Advanced Types & Libraries

Building custom types and using standard libraries to perform complex tasks.

• User Defined Types: Structs (Structures), Unions, and Enums.
• Dynamic Memory: c_stdlib (malloc, calloc, realloc, free).
• Standard Libraries:
  • c_stdio (Input/Output)
  • c_math (Mathematical functions)
  • c_ctype (Character handling)
  • c_time (Date and time)
• Preprocessor: Macros (#define), Header guards, and Conditional compilation.

Phase 4: Systems & Professional Skills

Preparing for real-world development and systems-level coding.

• File Handling: Reading/Writing text and binary files, file pointers.
• Error Handling: Using errno, perror, and exit codes.
• Code Organization: c_organize_code, modularity, and Makefiles.
• Performance: c_debugging techniques and memory leak detection.
• Practice: c_projects, c_exercises, and c_challenges.

Syllabus Checklist