How I Learned C The Hard Way and Why You Should Too
Learn C The Hard Way Pdf Vk.com
If you want to learn one of the most powerful and versatile programming languages in the world, you should consider reading Learn C The Hard Way, a book by Zed A. Shaw that teaches you C from scratch. In this article, we will tell you what this book is about, why you should read it, how to get it, how to use it, and some tips and tricks to make your learning journey easier and more enjoyable.
Learn C The Hard Way Pdf Vk.com
What is Learn C The Hard Way?
Learn C The Hard Way is a book that teaches you how to program in C, one of the oldest and most widely used programming languages in the world. C is the language that powers most operating systems, databases, compilers, libraries, and many other software applications. It is also a low-level language that gives you direct access to hardware and memory, which makes it very fast and efficient.
The author of Learn C The Hard Way is Zed A. Shaw, a software developer and writer who has created several popular books and courses on programming, such as Learn Python The Hard Way, Learn Ruby The Hard Way, Learn SQL The Hard Way, and Learn More Python The Hard Way. He is also the creator of the Mongrel web server and the Lamson email server.
The book is based on Shaw's online course of the same name, which he started in 2010. It consists of 52 exercises that cover all the basics of C programming, such as variables, data types, operators, control structures, functions, pointers, arrays, strings, structures, files, memory management, debugging, testing, and more. Each exercise includes a code example, an explanation, a quiz, and a challenge.
Why you should read Learn C The Hard Way?
There are many reasons why you should read Learn C The Hard Way if you want to learn C or improve your programming skills. Here are some of them:
C is a foundational language. C is one of the most influential languages in the history of computing. It has inspired many other languages, such as C++, Java, Python, Ruby, and Go. Learning C will help you understand how these languages work and how they differ from each other. It will also help you appreciate the design choices and trade-offs that programmers make when creating software.
C is a practical language. C is still widely used in many domains and industries, such as embedded systems, operating systems, networking, databases, security, gaming, and scientific computing. Learning C will give you the skills and knowledge to work on these kinds of projects and solve real-world problems. It will also make you a more versatile and adaptable programmer who can work with different platforms and environments.
C is a challenging language. C is not an easy language to learn or master. It requires you to pay attention to details, such as syntax, memory management, pointers, and error handling. It also exposes you to low-level concepts, such as bits, bytes, addresses, registers, and assembly code. Learning C will challenge you to think like a computer and develop your logical and analytical thinking skills. It will also make you a more confident and competent programmer who can write efficient and reliable code.
Learn C The Hard Way is a proven method. Learn C The Hard Way is not a typical book that teaches you C by explaining the theory and showing you some examples. It is a book that teaches you C by making you do the exercises and practice the code. This is based on the principle of "learning by doing", which is proven to be more effective and engaging than passive learning. By reading Learn C The Hard Way, you will not only learn C but also learn how to learn programming in general.
How to get Learn C The Hard Way Pdf Vk.com
If you are interested in reading Learn C The Hard Way, you might be wondering how to get it. There are several ways to access the book online, but one of the most convenient and popular ones is through Vk.com, a Russian social media platform that allows users to share files and media content. In this section, we will show you how to download the book from Vk.com and other sources.
Downloading from GitHub
One of the easiest ways to get Learn C The Hard Way is from GitHub, a platform that hosts millions of software projects and code repositories. You can find the book's PDF file and source code on GitHub at this link: https://github.com/XWHQSJ/ebooks/blob/master/Cpp/C/Learn%20C%20the%20Hard%20Way.pdf. To download the file from GitHub, follow these steps:
Click on the link above or copy and paste it into your browser's address bar.
You will see a page with the book's title and some information about the file size and format.
Click on the "Download" button on the right side of the page.
A dialog box will appear asking you to save the file on your computer. Choose a location where you want to save the file and click on "Save".
The file will start downloading and should be ready in a few seconds or minutes depending on your internet speed.
You can open the file with any PDF reader or editor on your computer or mobile device.
Downloading from Google Drive
What's inside Learn C The Hard Way Pdf Vk.com?
Now that you have downloaded Learn C The Hard Way, you might be curious about what's inside it. As we mentioned before, the book consists of 52 exercises that cover all the basics of C programming. Each exercise has a similar structure and format, which makes it easy to follow and understand. Here is what you can expect from each exercise:
A code example. This is the main part of the exercise, where you will see a working C program that demonstrates a concept or technique. You will also see some comments that explain what each line of code does and why it is important.
An explanation. This is where the author explains the theory and logic behind the code example. He also gives you some tips and advice on how to write better and cleaner code, how to avoid common mistakes and pitfalls, and how to use best practices and conventions.
A quiz. This is where you will test your understanding and retention of the material. The author will ask you some questions about the code example and the explanation, and you will have to answer them correctly. The questions are not too hard or too easy, but they will make you think and review what you learned.
A challenge. This is where you will apply what you learned and practice your skills. The author will give you some tasks or problems to solve using C. The challenges are not mandatory, but they are highly recommended if you want to improve your coding abilities and confidence. The challenges are also fun and creative, and they will make you explore new possibilities with C.
The book starts with the basics of C, such as how to compile and run a program, how to use variables and data types, how to do math operations, how to use strings and input/output functions, and how to control the flow of your program with if-else statements and loops. Then, it gradually introduces more advanced topics, such as how to use functions and pointers, how to work with arrays and structures, how to manipulate files and memory, how to debug and test your code, and how to use libraries and tools.
The book also covers some topics that are not usually taught in other C books or courses, such as how to use Valgrind and ASan to detect memory errors, how to use GDB and LLDB to debug your programs, how to use Makefiles and CMake to automate your builds, how to use Zed's Awesome Debug Macros to simplify your debugging process, how to use Ragel to generate state machines, how to use Bison and Flex to create parsers, and how to use SQLite to store data in databases.
The book is designed for beginners who have little or no experience with C or programming in general. However, it is not a book for lazy or impatient learners who want to learn C quickly or easily. It is a book for hard-working and curious learners who want to learn C thoroughly and deeply. It is a book that will make you work hard, think hard, and learn hard. But it is also a book that will reward you with a solid foundation and a valuable skill that will serve you well in your future endeavors.
How to use Learn C The Hard Way Pdf Vk.com
Now that you know what Learn C The Hard Way is about and what's inside it, you might be wondering how to use it effectively. In this section, we will give you some tips and guidelines on how to follow the book's exercises and learn C successfully.
Setting up your environment
Before you start doing the exercises in Learn C The Hard Way, you need to set up your environment properly. This means that you need to install and configure the tools and software that you need to write and run C programs on your computer. Here are the main tools that you need:
A text editor. This is where you will write your code. You can use any text editor that you like or are familiar with, such as Notepad++, Sublime Text, Atom, Visual Studio Code, Vim, Emacs, etc. However, make sure that your text editor can save files in plain text format (not rich text format) with UTF-8 encoding (not ANSI or ASCII encoding). You should also configure your text editor to use spaces instead of tabs for indentation, and to use 4 spaces per indent level.
A compiler. This is the tool that will translate your code into executable files that your computer can run. You can use any C compiler that you like or are familiar with, such as GCC, Clang, MSVC, MinGW, etc. However, make sure that your compiler supports the C99 standard (not the older C89 or C90 standards) and that it can produce 64-bit executables (not 32-bit executables). You should also configure your compiler to use the highest level of warnings and errors possible, and to treat warnings as errors.
A terminal. This is where you will run your programs and interact with them. You can use any terminal that you like or are familiar with, such as Command Prompt, PowerShell, Bash, Zsh, etc. However, make sure that your terminal can display Unicode characters and colors correctly, and that it can handle input and output redirections properly. You should also configure your terminal to use a monospaced font and a reasonable font size.
To install and configure these tools on your computer, you can follow the instructions in Exercise 0 of Learn C The Hard Way, which are specific for each operating system (Windows, Mac OS X, Linux). You can also watch the video lectures that accompany each exercise on the book's website: http://c.learncodethehardway.org/book/.
Doing the exercises
Once you have set up your environment, you are ready to start doing the exercises in Learn C The Hard Way. Here are some tips and guidelines on how to do them effectively:
Do them in order. The exercises in Learn C The Hard Way are arranged in a logical and progressive order, from the simplest to the most complex. Each exercise builds on the previous ones and introduces new concepts or techniques. Therefore, it is important that you do them in order and do not skip any of them. This will help you avoid confusion and frustration later on.
Type them by hand. The exercises in Learn C The Hard Way include code examples that you need to type by hand into your text editor. Do not copy and paste them from the book or from any other source. Typing them by hand will help you pay attention to the details of the syntax and the logic of the code. It will also help you memorize the code better and avoid typos and errors.
Run them often. The exercises in Learn C The Hard Way also include commands that you need to run in your terminal to compile and execute your code. Do not wait until you finish typing the whole code example before running it. Run it often, after each line or block of code that you type. This will help you check if your code works as expected and if there are any errors or warnings that you need to fix. It will also help you see the output of your code and how it changes with different inputs or conditions.
Read them carefully. The exercises in Learn C The Hard Way also include explanations that describe what the code does and why it does it. Do not skim or skip these explanations. Read them carefully and try to understand them fully. They will help you learn the theory and logic behind the code and how to apply it to different situations. They will also help you learn some tips and advice on how to write better and cleaner code.
Do the quizzes and challenges. The exercises in Learn C The Hard Way also include quizzes and challenges that test your knowledge and skills. Do not ignore or avoid these quizzes and challenges. Do them sincerely and honestly. They will help you reinforce what you learned and practice what you can do with C. They will also help you identify your strengths and weaknesses and areas where you need to improve.
Checking your progress
As you do the exercises in Learn C The Hard Way, you will gradually learn more about C programming and improve your skills. However, learning is not a linear process, and sometimes you might feel stuck or confused or frustrated. That's normal and expected, especially when learning a challenging language like C. Therefore, it is important that you check your progress regularly and celebrate your achievements. Here are some ways to do that:
that you have done and review the code examples, the explanations, the quizzes, and the challenges. This will help you refresh your memory and consolidate your learning. It will also help you see how far you have come and how much you have learned.
Track your time and effort. Keep track of how much time and effort you spend on each exercise and on the whole book. You can use a timer, a spreadsheet, a journal, or any other tool that works for you. This will help you measure your productivity and efficiency. It will also help you see how dedicated and committed you are to your learning goal.
Share your work and feedback. Share your code and your thoughts with other learners or programmers who are reading Learn C The Hard Way or who are interested in C programming. You can use online platforms, such as GitHub, Stack Overflow, Reddit, Discord, etc. This will help you get feedback and suggestions on how to improve your code and your skills. It will also help you learn from others' experiences and perspectives.
Celebrate your achievements. Celebrate every exercise that you complete and every challenge that you overcome. You can reward yourself with something that makes you happy or proud, such as a snack, a break, a game, a movie, etc. This will help you boost your motivation and confidence. It will also help you enjoy your learning process and have fun with C.
Tips and tricks for Learn C The Hard Way Pdf Vk.com
In this section, we will give you some tips and tricks that will help you overcome some common difficulties and enhance your learning experience with Learn C The Hard Way. These tips and tricks are based on our own experience and on the advice of the author and other learners who have read the book.
Troubleshooting common errors
One of the most common difficulties that you might encounter while learning C programming is dealing with errors. Errors are inevitable when writing code, especially in a low-level language like C that gives you a lot of freedom but also a lot of responsibility. Errors can be frustrating and discouraging, but they can also be valuable learning opportunities if you know how to handle them properly. Here are some tips on how to troubleshoot common errors in C:
Read the error messages carefully. When you compile or run your code, your compiler or terminal will display error messages that tell you what went wrong and where. Do not ignore or dismiss these error messages. Read them carefully and try to understand what they mean and what they imply. They will give you clues and hints on how to fix your errors.
Use a debugger. A debugger is a tool that allows you to inspect and manipulate your code while it is running. You can use a debugger to set breakpoints, watch variables, step through code, evaluate expressions, etc. A debugger can help you find and fix errors faster and easier than using print statements or guessing. You can use any debugger that you like or are familiar with, such as GDB, LLDB, Visual Studio Debugger, etc.
Use a memory checker. A memory checker is a tool that detects memory errors, such as leaks, overflows, underflows, double frees, etc. Memory errors are very common and very dangerous in C programming, as they can cause crashes, corruption, or security vulnerabilities. A memory checker can help you prevent and fix memory errors before they cause serious problems. You can use any memory checker that you like or are familiar with, such as Valgrind, ASan, DrMemory, etc.
sometimes, especially if you explore new ideas and make your own projects. Learning C can also be fun and rewarding if you enjoy the process and celebrate the results. Therefore, it is important that you have fun with C and make it your own. Here are some tips on how to have fun with C:
Be curious and creative. C is a powerful and versatile language that allows you to do many things with it. You can use C to create games, graphics, music, web servers, databases, compilers, operating systems, and more. You can also use C to interact with hardware, such as sensors, motors, LEDs, etc. You can also use C to learn about other languages, such as Python, Ruby, Java, etc. The only limit is your imagination and curiosity. So, don't be afraid to experiment and try new things with C. You might discover something amazing or useful or fun.
Be social and collaborative. C is a popular and widely used language that has a large and active community of programmers and enthusiasts. You can join this community and learn from others who share your passion and interest in C. You can also collaborate with others and work on projects together or contribute to open source software. You can also teach others and share your knowledge and skills in C. Being social and collaborative will help you learn more and faster, as well as make new friends and connections.
Be playful and adventurous. C is a challenging and rewarding language that can give you a lot of satisfaction and joy. You can experience this satisfaction and joy by playing with C and having fun with it. You can play games that are written in C or that teach you C. You can also make your own games or puzzles or challenges with C. You can also explore new domains or topi