====== C++ Learning Programme (3 Months) ======

This programme is designed to refresh your C++ knowledge, focusing on understanding complex code and writing simple code by the end of the programme. It is split into **3 phases**, each lasting **1 month**, with corresponding exercises, resources, and goals.

===== Phase 1: Fundamentals and Syntax Refresh =====

**Duration**: 4 weeks

**Goal**: Relearn C++ syntax, basic constructs, and simple problem-solving.

  * **Topics to Cover**:
    - C++ basic syntax (variables, data types, control structures)
    - Functions, pointers, references
    - Object-Oriented Programming (OOP): Classes, inheritance, polymorphism
    - Memory management (stack vs heap)
    - Basic input/output operations (streams)

  * **Resources**:
    - [[https://www.learncpp.com|LearnCPP.com]]: Beginner-friendly tutorials
    - [[https://www.cppreference.com|C++ Reference]]: For in-depth explanations
    - Book: "Programming: Principles and Practice Using C++" by Bjarne Stroustrup (optional)

  * **Exercises**:
    - Simple console applications (calculators, loops, conditionals)
    - Rebuild classic data structures (linked list, stack, queue) using C++
    - Implement small OOP examples (e.g., a simple class hierarchy with inheritance)

  * **Projects**:
    - Write a small program to manage basic bank transactions (using classes and file I/O)

===== Phase 2: Intermediate Concepts and Standard Library =====

**Duration**: 4 weeks

**Goal**: Dive deeper into intermediate C++ topics and master the Standard Library (STL).

  * **Topics to Cover**:
    - Templates and Generic Programming
    - Standard Template Library (STL): Vectors, Lists, Maps, Sets
    - Error handling (exceptions)
    - Smart pointers (unique_ptr, shared_ptr)
    - Basic Multithreading (std::thread, mutex)

  * **Resources**:
    - [[https://www.learncpp.com/cpp-tutorial/advanced-templates|Learn C++ - Templates]]
    - [[https://www.cplusplus.com/reference/stl/|STL Documentation on Cplusplus.com]]
    - Book: "Effective Modern C++" by Scott Meyers (optional but highly recommended for modern C++ practices)

  * **Exercises**:
    - Implement data structures using STL (e.g., using `std::vector`, `std::map`)
    - Create simple template classes/functions
    - Experiment with `std::thread` and `mutex` to manage simple multithreading tasks

  * **Projects**:
    - Write a program that simulates a small library system, using STL containers and smart pointers
    - Practice using exceptions for error handling in more complex scenarios

===== Phase 3: Advanced Concepts and Code Reading =====

**Duration**: 4 weeks

**Goal**: Get comfortable with more advanced C++ concepts, focus on reading and understanding complex codebases.

  * **Topics to Cover**:
    - Lambda functions and functional programming
    - Move semantics and R-value references
    - Advanced memory management (manual allocation and deallocation)
    - Reading and contributing to open-source C++ projects
    - Debugging and profiling C++ code

  * **Resources**:
    - [[https://isocpp.org/|ISO C++ Site]] for up-to-date information
    - Explore open-source repositories on GitHub, such as [[https://github.com/facebook/folly|Facebook's Folly library]] for real-world C++ code examples

  * **Exercises**:
    - Analyze complex C++ code in open-source projects (focusing on reading, not just writing)
    - Solve more complex coding challenges using C++ (check websites like LeetCode, Codeforces)
    - Debug C++ programs and profile performance using tools like `gdb` and `valgrind`

  * **Projects**:
    - Contribute small patches or improvements to open-source C++ projects
    - Implement a simple task scheduler or a basic version of a task queue using C++ threads

===== Tools and Environments =====

  * **IDE/Editor**: 
    - Recommended: Visual Studio Code with the C++ extension, or CLion
    - **Compilers**: 
      - GCC (Linux) or Clang
      - For Windows: MinGW or MSVC
  
  * **Build Systems**:
    - Get familiar with using **CMake** for project management and building larger C++ projects.

===== End of Programme Goal =====
At the end of this 3-month programme, you should be able to:
  - Read and understand moderately complex C++ codebases
  - Write simple C++ programs using modern C++ practices (C++11/14/17)
  - Feel comfortable contributing to open-source C++ projects or debugging complex C++ applications.