Learn C programming fundamentals like data types, control flow, functions, pointers, and memory allocation while exploring debugging, profiling, and optimization tools like GDB and gcc.

clang.tar.gz

RunC

RunCwithGNUflags

RunCwithlmflag

Run_go_file 

RunC-without_warning_flag

Compile-only

doNothing

Posix

RunCFileGo

Compile-go-file

Compile-go-debugging-file

OpenMP

Make

MPI4Threads

MPI8Threads

Octave

RunC-without_warning_flag-KS

This comprehensive course covers the fundamentals and advanced concepts of C programming to build a solid foundation for your programming journey. You’ll learn about essential topics like data types, variables, constants, and C statements, along with deeper explorations of control flow in C, including for loops and conditional statements in C. You’ll also learn about C functions, scope of variables, function arguments, and work with arrays, strings, and pointers in C.

You’ll gain hands-on experience with dynamic memory allocation, stack vs. heap, C standard library, and advanced topics such as binary files, input and output streams, and header files. The course also teaches compiling in C, linking in C, and debugging with tools like GNU debugger (GDB) and gprof for code profiling. By mastering these concepts, you’ll confidently program in C and optimize your code using gcc optimization flags.

Learn C

# What's a heap? 
The heap is a region of your computer’s memory that is not managed automatically for you, and is not as tightly managed by the CPU. It is a more free-floating region of memory (and is larger).

The stack and heap sizes are initially set (typically by the operating system) when the program runs. Unlike the fixed-size stack, there are no restrictions on the size of memory that can be allocated on a heap (apart from the obvious physical limitations of your computer). More heap memory can be available to the program by the operating system while the program is running. Also, unlike the stack, the memory allocated on the heap can be accessed by any function, anywhere in your program. 

However, heap memory is slightly slower to read from and written to, because one has to use pointers to access memory on the heap. We'll talk about pointers shortly.

# Memory leak

To allocate memory on the heap, we must use the functions `malloc` or `calloc`, which are built-in C functions. Once we've allocated memory on the heap, we're responsible for using the function `free` to deallocate that memory when we don’t need it any more. If we fail to do this, our program will have what's known as a **memory leak**. That is, memory on the heap will not be freed and won’t be available to other processes.
 
As we'll see in the debugging section, there's a tool called `valgrind` that helps detect memory leaks.

So the stack and the heap have their own benefits and dangers in terms of memory allocation. With the theory out of the way, let's take a look at how the stack and heap work in code.

Learn about heap memory that's available for use when a C program is run. 

The Heap

Learn about heap memory that's available for use when a C program is run.

Introduction to C Programming

Data Types in C

C Operators and C Expressions

Control Flow in C

Functions in C

Complex Data Types

Stack vs. Heap

Pointers in C

C string

Input and Output Stream

Macros and the C Preprocessor

Header Files, Compiling and Linking

C Debugger

Code Profiling

Parallel Programming in C

Project: Using a Bootstrapped t-test

Conclusion

Miscellaneous

Appendix: Setting Up the Environment

The Heap

What’s a heap?