Learning Track · 6 Modules · 24 Lessons · 23 Exercises · 18h

The Introduction to programming curriculum

Programs translate algorithmic intent into memory operations across distinct runtime architectures. Master low-level bit representation, memory layouts, and manual allocation in C; compile-time type safety, RAII, and zero-cost polymorphic abstractions in C++; and dynamic object graphs, bytecode interpretation, and metaprogramming in Python.

Prerequisites & Preparation

Prerequisites: None

Recommended: Start here if new to low-level memory, systems programming, or C/C++

Scope: Engineers wanting to understand physical memory in C, RAII in C++, and dynamic runtimes in Python.

Track Architecture

[systems] Systems and memory in C: Bits, memory layout, pointer arithmetic, stack frames, and manual heap allocation.
[objects] Objects and lifecycles in C++: RAII, value semantics, smart pointers, vtables, and generic containers.
[scripts] Dynamic execution in Python: The PyObject model, dynamic attribute lookup, C3 linearization, closures, and generator pipelines.
[bridges] Cross-paradigm engineering: Stack virtual machines, cycle-detecting garbage collectors, and foreign function interfaces.

Systems and memory in C

Bits, memory layout, pointer arithmetic, stack frames, and manual heap allocation.

Memory, bits, and pointers in C

4 lessons · 2.5h · beginner

Computers execute instructions directly against linear memory. Master binary representations, two's complement integer arithmetic, pointer dereferencing and traversal, stack frame activation records, and manual free-list heap allocators.

No prerequisites · First module in track

Data structures and binary layouts in C

4 lessons · 3h · not yet

Structured data requires deliberate memory layouts. Learn how compilers align struct fields and insert padding, build contiguous dynamic arrays with exponential growth, implement doubly linked lists with pointer splicing, and parse binary network protocols.

Requires: Memory, bits, and pointers in C

Objects and lifecycles in C++

RAII, value semantics, smart pointers, vtables, and generic containers.

RAII, objects, and lifecycles in C++

4 lessons · 3h · not yet

C++ binds resource management to object scope. Understand how constructors establish invariants, destructors guarantee cleanup through RAII, copy and move semantics transfer ownership without overhead, and smart pointers manage reference counts.

Requires: Data structures and binary layouts in C

Polymorphism, vtables, and generic containers in C++

4 lessons · 3h · not yet

Zero-cost abstractions combine runtime dynamic dispatch with compile-time monomorphization. Construct manual vtable dispatch engines, implement generic algorithm pipelines, build open-addressing hash maps with tombstone deletion, and code array-backed min-heaps.

Requires: RAII, objects, and lifecycles in C++

Dynamic execution in Python

The PyObject model, dynamic attribute lookup, C3 linearization, closures, and generator pipelines.

Dynamic runtimes and the Python object model

4 lessons · 3h · not yet

Python executes through dynamic object graphs and an interpreted evaluation loop. Explore the PyObject layout, implement the C3 linearization algorithm for method resolution order, construct parameterized closures and decorators, and build lazy generator pipelines.

Requires: Polymorphism, vtables, and generic containers in C++

Cross-paradigm engineering

Stack virtual machines, cycle-detecting garbage collectors, and foreign function interfaces.

Virtual machines and cross-language architecture

4 lessons · 3h · not yet

Programming paradigms converge in execution engines and runtime bridges. Compare ahead-of-time compilation with dynamic bytecode evaluation, implement a stack-based virtual machine, build a cycle-detecting mark-and-sweep garbage collector, and marshal data across foreign function interfaces.

Requires: Dynamic runtimes and the Python object model