C is the language of operating systems, embedded systems, and high-performance computing. This course teaches you to write real C — pointers, memory management, structs, and file I/O — with the systems programming mindset that C demands.
This is a text-first course that links out to the best supporting material on the internet instead of trying to replace it. The goal is to make this the best course on c programming you can find — even without producing a single minute of custom video.
C without pointers is not C. This course introduces pointers on Day 1 and uses them throughout. No hand-holding around the hard parts.
malloc, free, memory leaks, buffer overflows — this course covers them properly because they're the source of most C bugs and all C security vulnerabilities.
The C Programming Language (Kernighan & Ritchie) is the canonical reference. This course links to relevant sections and complements the book.
Each day is designed to finish in about an hour of focused reading plus hands-on coding. No live classes, no quizzes.
Each day stands alone. Read them in order for the full picture, or jump straight to the day that answers the question you have today.
Memory addresses, pointer arithmetic, dereferencing, pointer-to-pointer. Why C requires you to understand memory layout to write any non-trivial program.
malloc, calloc, realloc, free. Heap vs. stack. Memory leaks. Valgrind for finding leaks. The discipline of manual memory management.
Defining struct types, function pointers, passing structs by value vs. pointer. The data structure patterns that C programs use in place of objects.
fopen, fread, fwrite, fclose, fprintf. Reading and writing files, error handling, and the C I/O model that every language was influenced by.
Command-line arguments, environment variables, signal handling, process creation with fork(). The Unix programming model that C was built for.
Instead of shooting our own videos, we link to the best deep-dives already on YouTube. Watch them alongside the course. All external, all free, all from builders who ship this stuff.
Clear explanations of C pointers — the concept that trips up most beginners and defines the C mental model.
Dynamic memory allocation in C — malloc, free, and the discipline of managing memory without garbage collection.
How to use structs and function pointers to build data structures and modular code in C.
Using Valgrind to find memory leaks and undefined behavior in C programs — essential for writing correct C code.
Unix systems programming in C — process management, file systems, sockets, and the low-level OS interface.
Walkthroughs of the classic Kernighan & Ritchie C programming book — the canonical C reference.
The best way to go deeper on any topic is to read canonical open-source implementations. These repositories implement the core patterns covered in this course.
The Linux kernel — written in C. The largest and most important C codebase in existence. The ultimate reference for systems-level C programming.
Curated list of C frameworks, libraries, and resources. The best reference for going deeper on any C programming topic.
Package manager for C libraries. Shows how the C ecosystem handles dependency management.
Resources on operating systems and systems programming — the domain where C programming matters most.
Your CS program covers C but doesn't go deep on pointers and memory. This course fills that gap with the hands-on practice that makes it click.
You write Python or JavaScript and want to understand what happens at the systems level. C is the language that shows you.
C is the primary language for embedded systems and firmware. This course builds the foundation you need for that domain.
The 2-day in-person Precision AI Academy bootcamp covers C, systems programming, and low-level engineering — hands-on with Bo. 5 U.S. cities. $1,490. 40 seats max. June–October 2026 (Thu–Fri).
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