System C Project - Write a Garbage Collector from Scratch

🎓 Course Title: System C Project - Write a Garbage Collector from Scratch

Course Headline:

Linux/Windows System Programming - C Project

Are you ready to tackle one of the most intriguing challenges in system programming? 🤔

In this course, we delve into the world of memory management and take up an ambitious project: designing and implementing a garbage collector for C programs. This isn't just any ordinary project; it's a chance to solve a problem that even stumped me during interviews at top tech companies like Amazon and Google. 🚀

Here's the question that sparked this journey:

1. How would you design a garbage collector for C programs?
2. If it's so straightforward, why isn't one already integrated into the C programming language?

🧐 The answer awaits those who are willing to code their way through this challenge.

Course Description:

This project-centric course is designed for coding enthusiasts and programmers eager to extend their expertise in C (with potential extension to C++). We will collaboratively build a library called MLD (Memory Leak Detector) that can be integrated into applications to detect memory leaks at runtime. 🛠️✨

Key Features of the MLD Library:

• Generic Tool: Designed to parse and manipulate any application's data structures.
• Proactive Memory Management: It will help you identify where your application is losing memory by catching those leaked objects before they cause issues.

Project Breakdown: The course is segmented into three distinct phases:

1. Analysis and Planning: We'll start by understanding the problem space and designing our approach.
2. Implementation: Here, you'll roll up your sleeves and code the MLD library from scratch.
3. Testing and Refinement: The final phase involves testing the MLD tool in various scenarios to ensure it's robust and reliable.

Who is this course for?

This course is tailored for:

• C/C++ Developers: Who want to understand and prevent memory leaks in their applications.
• System Programmers: Looking to expand their knowledge into memory management techniques.
• Aspiring OS Enthusiasts: Seeking a project to add to their portfolio, especially for their OS coursework.

Note: This project requires a certain level of analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. If you're looking for a "spoon-feeding" approach, this might not be the course for you.

Course Highlights:

• Memory Management Responsibility: Learn how to manage memory responsibly in C/C++ programs.
• Common Memory Issues: Explore the two primary memory problems associated with C/C++ programming: memory corruption and memory leaks.
• Garbage Collection vs. C/C++: Understand why automatic garbage collection like in Java is not directly applicable to C/C++ due to its direct memory access capabilities.
• Implementing MLD: Design and implement a Memory Leak Detector (MLD) that can identify leaked objects in real-time.

Formal Project Description for Resumes:

Title: "Design and Implementation of a Java-like Garbage Collector for C Programs"

Abstract: In this project, we tackle the challenge of implementing a garbage collector for C programs that operates on the principle of reachability analysis to detect memory leaks. Through rigorous design and development, we explore the intricacies of memory management in C-like languages, which differ significantly from Java due to their direct access to physical memory addresses. This project not only showcases our ability to solve complex problems but also provides insights into the challenges and potential costs associated with integrating such a feature as a standard within the C programming language.

Enroll now and embark on this exciting journey to master system programming and memory management in C! 👨‍💻👩‍💻 This course will not only challenge your coding skills but also contribute significantly to your professional portfolio. Let's turn the theoretical into practical and the complex into achievable! 🚀💻