Interacting with the System and Managing Memory from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Module 1: Interacting with the user and system

So far, our programs have had a rather limited interaction with the user or rest of the system, printing some results to standard output (typically to the terminal). Now that we have learned about topics such as strings and arrays, we are ready to learn how to write a program that takes input from the user, takes arguments on the command line, accesses files, and does many other things we typically think of real programs as doing.

Module 2: Dynamic allocation

So far, most of the memory we have used has been located on the stack. Dynamic memory allocation gives a programmer much more flexibility, in that it allows you to request a specific amount memory to be allocated on the heap, so that it will not disappear with the stack frame of the calling function.

Module 3: Programming in the Large

So far, we have focused exclusively on programming in the small—designing the algorithm for a small-sized task, implementing it, testing it, and debugging it. This module discusses three main differences that "real" programs exhibit. 1) They tend to be much larger than those we have written. 2) More than one person works on them, sometimes teams of hundreds to thousands. 3) Real software has a long life-span during which it must be maintained. Now that you have an understanding of the basics of programming in the small, we are ready to begin learning about programming in the large!

Module 4: Poker Project

In this module, you will complete the Poker Project! Now that you know about dynamic memory allocation, user input, and how to program in the large, you can write the final parts of the program. You will write code to read in a file with a hand of cards and code to choose unknown cards from a shuffled deck. As you program with more sophisticated data structures, the importance of drawing good pictures will increase. Happy programming!

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Teaches powerful new programming techniques for interacting with the user and the system

Covers dynamic memory allocation, allowing for more complex programming tasks

Provides a solid foundation in programming concepts and techniques

Taught by experienced instructors with expertise in C programming

Suitable for learners with basic programming knowledge who want to advance their skills

Part of a specialization in Introduction to Programming in C, offering a comprehensive learning path

Reviews summary

Well-structured course for beginner c programmers

Learners say this well-structured course is a complete package for beginner C programmers. Students largely positive about coding projects and say they learned a ton of C programming. They also mention the course has challenging assignments and difficult exams but say it will help prepare learners well for programming in C and software development in general. Some students found the reading assignments were difficult and PPE error is a complaint from a few learners.

Learners will be well prepared for software development after taking this course.

"Complete package for CS students, git, emacs, valgrind."

"I feel like this course will prepare me for software development."

"I learned so much in this course. I was a programmer for 8 years but was self-taught. This course helped me relearn most of what I knew plus taught me many things I didn't know."

This course has valuable, challenging coding projects.

"Well-structured course offering challenging coding projects"

"This course made me re-learn many things. The best part of this course is challenging assignments and i completely loved it."

"Great course to learn to program in C."

Learners should be prepared for difficult exams throughout this specialization.

"The course itself is nice, but the testing is horrible."

"In no company in the world you would not know the testcase."

"I think over 95 % of my time was spent for debugging in this course."

Some learners report encountering significant errors within the PPE.

"Error in PPE has caused me to not be able to finish this course."

"very nice course except for the PPE error."

"Had a lot of PPE error, can't open barely manage to summit before the deadline."

Plan to spend a lot of time on assignments and debugging code.

"However, I really feel that I spent too much time for debugging code."

"The assignments can take a long time for two reasons:"

"README files for the tasks are often not too helpful, on the last course in the Montecarlo simulation they have placed some really hard testcases and I couldnt finish the course because of that."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Interacting with the System and Managing Memory with these activities:

Complete basic C programming exercises

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Brush up on basic C programming skills to strengthen your foundation for this course.

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Review basic syntax and data types in C
Practice writing simple C programs using loops and conditionals
Solve coding exercises on basic C programming concepts

Review the book 'C Programming: A Modern Approach' by K.N. King

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Gain a deeper understanding of C programming concepts by reading and reviewing this recommended book.

View C Programming: A Modern Approach, 2nd Edition on Amazon

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Read selected chapters or sections of the book
Take notes and summarize the key concepts and examples
Discuss the book with classmates or a mentor

Follow tutorials on dynamic memory allocation in C

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Enhance your understanding of dynamic memory allocation and its applications in C programming.

Browse courses on Dynamic Memory Allocation

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Find online tutorials or resources on dynamic memory allocation in C
Follow the tutorials to learn about malloc(), free(), and other related functions
Practice using dynamic memory allocation in your own C programs

Five other activities

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Solve coding challenges on file handling in C

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Sharpen your skills in reading, writing, and manipulating files using C.

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Set up a development environment for C programming
Find online coding challenges or exercises on file handling in C
Solve the challenges and write code to read, write, and manipulate files

Create a visual representation of the memory layout in a C program

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Enhance your understanding of memory management in C by creating a visual representation of the memory layout.

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Study the memory layout of a C program, including stack, heap, and static memory
Use a tool or create your own diagram to visualize the memory layout
Explain the memory layout and its implications for C programming

Build a small C program that interacts with the user

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Demonstrate your understanding of user interaction and input/output in C by creating a practical program.

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Design a simple C program that takes user input and performs a specific task
Write the C code, including functions for input, output, and calculations
Test and debug your program to ensure it runs correctly

Develop a C program to simulate a simple card game

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Apply your knowledge of C programming to a real-world project by simulating a simple card game.

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Design the game rules and logic
Implement the game logic in C, including functions for dealing, playing, and scoring
Test and refine your program to ensure it simulates the game accurately

Participate in coding competitions on C programming

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Challenge yourself and test your C programming skills by participating in coding competitions.

Browse courses on Coding Challenges

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Find online coding competitions or hackathons focused on C programming
Register for the competition and prepare by practicing C programming algorithms and data structures
Participate in the competition and try to solve the coding challenges within the time limit

Career center

Learners who complete Interacting with the System and Managing Memory will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Data Scientist

Data Scientists collect, analyze, and interpret data to help businesses make informed decisions. A background in programming is essential. This course may help build a foundation for your career as a Data Scientist by giving you a better understanding of memory management. Interacting with the System and Managing Memory covers more sophisticated uses for pointers, such as strings and multidimensional arrays, as well as how to write programs that read and write files and take input from the user.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Machine Learning Engineer

Machine Learning Engineers design, develop, and deploy machine learning models to solve complex problems. A background in programming is essential. This course may help build a foundation for your career as a Machine Learning Engineer by giving you a better understanding of memory management. Interacting with the System and Managing Memory covers more sophisticated uses for pointers, such as strings and multidimensional arrays, as well as how to write programs that read and write files and take input from the user.

See salaries and explore the career path for Machine Learning Engineer

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and test software. A background in programming is essential. This course may help build a foundation for your career as a Software Engineer by giving you a better understanding of memory management. Interacting with the System and Managing Memory covers more sophisticated uses for pointers, such as strings and multidimensional arrays, as well as how to write programs that read and write files and take input from the user.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Database Administrator

Database Administrators are responsible for maintaining and troubleshooting databases. A background in programming is essential. This course may help build a foundation for your career as a Database Administrator by giving you a better understanding of memory management. Interacting with the System and Managing Memory covers more sophisticated uses for pointers, such as strings and multidimensional arrays, as well as how to write programs that read and write files and take input from the user.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

Web Developer

Web Developers are responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining websites. A background in programming is essential. This course may help build a foundation for your career as a Web Developer by giving you a better understanding of memory management. Interacting with the System and Managing Memory covers more sophisticated uses for pointers, such as strings and multidimensional arrays, as well as how to write programs that read and write files and take input from the user.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Developer

Information Security Analyst

Information Security Analysts plan and implement security measures to protect an organization's computer networks and systems from unauthorized access and cyberattacks. A background in programming is essential. This course may help build a foundation in memory management for your career as an Information Security Analyst. Interacting with the System and Managing Memory covers more sophisticated uses for pointers, such as strings and multidimensional arrays, as well as how to write programs that read and write files and take input from the user.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Security Analyst

Full-Stack Developer

Full Stack Developers are responsible for both the front-end and back-end of web applications. They design, develop, and maintain the code that runs on the server and the code that runs in the browser. A background in programming is essential. This course may help build a foundation for your career as a Full Stack Developer by giving you a better understanding of memory management. Interacting with the System and Managing Memory covers more sophisticated uses for pointers, such as strings and multidimensional arrays, as well as how to write programs that read and write files and take input from the user.

See salaries and explore the career path for Full-Stack Developer

Computer Scientist

Computer Scientists write code to help solve problems. They may create, design, and develop software. A background in programming is essential. This course may help build a foundation for your career as a Computer Scientist by giving you a better understanding of memory management. Interacting with the System and Managing Memory covers more sophisticated uses for pointers, such as strings and multidimensional arrays, as well as how to write programs that read and write files and take input from the user.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Scientist

DevOps Engineer

DevOps Engineers are responsible for bridging the gap between development and operations. They work to ensure that software is developed and deployed quickly and efficiently. A background in programming is essential. This course may help build a foundation for your career as a DevOps Engineer by giving you a better understanding of memory management. Interacting with the System and Managing Memory covers more sophisticated uses for pointers, such as strings and multidimensional arrays, as well as how to write programs that read and write files and take input from the user.

See salaries and explore the career path for DevOps Engineer

Cloud Engineer

Cloud Engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining cloud computing systems. A background in programming is essential. This course may help build a foundation for your career as a Cloud Engineer by giving you a better understanding of memory management. Interacting with the System and Managing Memory covers more sophisticated uses for pointers, such as strings and multidimensional arrays, as well as how to write programs that read and write files and take input from the user.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Engineer

Security Engineer

Security Engineers are responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining security controls to protect computer networks and systems from unauthorized access, damage, or disruption. A background in programming is essential. This course may help build a foundation for your career as a Security Engineer by giving you a better understanding of memory management. Interacting with the System and Managing Memory covers more sophisticated uses for pointers, such as strings and multidimensional arrays, as well as how to write programs that read and write files and take input from the user.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Engineer

Front-End Developer

Front End Developers are responsible for the user interface of web applications. They design, develop, and maintain the code that runs in the browser. A background in programming is essential. This course may help build a foundation for your career as a Front End Developer by giving you a better understanding of memory management. Interacting with the System and Managing Memory covers more sophisticated uses for pointers, such as strings and multidimensional arrays, as well as how to write programs that read and write files and take input from the user.

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Cybersecurity Engineer

Cybersecurity Engineers design, implement, and maintain security controls to protect computer networks and systems from unauthorized access, damage, or disruption. A background in programming is essential. This course may help build a foundation in memory management for your career as a Cybersecurity Engineer. Interacting with the System and Managing Memory covers more sophisticated uses for pointers, such as strings and multidimensional arrays, as well as how to write programs that read and write files and take input from the user.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cybersecurity Engineer

System Administrator

System Administrators are responsible for maintaining and troubleshooting computer systems. A background in programming is essential. This course may help build a foundation for your career as a System Administrator by giving you a better understanding of memory management. Interacting with the System and Managing Memory covers more sophisticated uses for pointers, such as strings and multidimensional arrays, as well as how to write programs that read and write files and take input from the user.

See salaries and explore the career path for System Administrator

Backend Developer

Backend Developers are responsible for the server-side of web applications. They design, develop, and maintain the code that runs on the server. A background in programming is essential. This course may help build a foundation for your career as a Backend Developer by giving you a better understanding of memory management. Interacting with the System and Managing Memory covers more sophisticated uses for pointers, such as strings and multidimensional arrays, as well as how to write programs that read and write files and take input from the user.

See salaries and explore the career path for Backend Developer