C++ Mastery Projects - Expanded Project Guides

Generated from: CPP_MASTERY_PROJECTS.md

Overview

This directory contains 13 comprehensive project guides for mastering C++ from first principles to systems-level expertise. Each project is designed to build deep understanding through hands-on implementation, progressively covering:

Memory Model & Object Lifetime - RAII, ownership, move semantics
The Type System - Static typing, type deduction, const correctness
Object-Oriented Programming - Encapsulation, polymorphism, Rule of Zero/Three/Five
Generic Programming - Templates, metaprogramming, concepts
Standard Library (STL) - Containers, algorithms, iterators, smart pointers
Modern C++ (C++11-23) - Move semantics, lambdas, coroutines, modules
Concurrency - Threads, synchronization, atomics, futures
Low-Level Control - Manual memory, bit manipulation, inline assembly

Project Index

#	Project	Difficulty	Time	Key Focus
1	Command-Line Calculator	Beginner	1-2 weeks	Parsing, recursion, basic syntax
2	Memory-Mapped File Reader	Intermediate	1-2 weeks	Virtual memory, system calls, pointers
3	Smart Pointer Implementation	Advanced	2-3 weeks	RAII, move semantics, atomics
4	Generic Container Library	Advanced	3-4 weeks	Templates, iterators, exception safety
5	Thread Pool Library	Advanced	2-3 weeks	Concurrency, synchronization, futures
6	JSON Parser Library	Intermediate	2-3 weeks	Parsing, std::variant, serialization
7	TCP Chat Server	Advanced	2-3 weeks	Sockets, I/O multiplexing, protocols
8	Simple Database Engine	Expert	1-2 months	B-trees, storage, ACID, WAL
9	2D Game Engine	Expert	2-3 months	ECS, graphics, real-time systems
10	C++ Compiler Frontend	Master	3-6 months	Lexing, parsing, type systems, LLVM
11	HTTP Server Framework	Expert	1-2 months	HTTP, async I/O, high performance
12	Template Metaprogramming Library	Master	1-2 months	TMP, constexpr, zero-cost abstractions
13	Operating System Kernel (Capstone)	Master	6-12 months	Bare metal, paging, scheduling

Learning Paths

Path A: Foundations First (Recommended for Beginners)

Duration: 6-12 months

Phase 1: Core Syntax (1-2 months)
├── P01-command-line-calculator.md
└── P02-memory-mapped-file-reader.md

Phase 2: Modern C++ (2-3 months)
├── P03-smart-pointer-implementation.md
├── P04-generic-container-library.md
└── P05-thread-pool-library.md

Phase 3: Applications (2-3 months)
├── P06-json-parser-library.md
└── P07-tcp-chat-server.md

Phase 4: Systems (3-6 months)
├── P08-simple-database-engine.md
├── P09-2d-game-engine.md
├── P10-cpp-compiler-frontend.md
└── P11-http-server-framework.md

Phase 5: Expert (1-2 months)
├── P12-template-metaprogramming-library.md
└── P13-operating-system-kernel.md

Path B: Systems Focus (For Experienced Programmers)

Duration: 4-8 months

Quick Foundation (2-4 weeks)
└── P03-smart-pointer-implementation.md  (Skip P01-P02)

Core Systems (2-3 months)
├── P08-simple-database-engine.md
├── P11-http-server-framework.md
└── P05-thread-pool-library.md

Advanced Systems (2-3 months)
├── P10-cpp-compiler-frontend.md
└── P13-operating-system-kernel.md

Template Mastery (1 month)
└── P12-template-metaprogramming-library.md

Path C: Game Development Focus

Duration: 4-6 months

Essentials (1-2 months)
├── P03-smart-pointer-implementation.md
├── P04-generic-container-library.md
└── P05-thread-pool-library.md

Game Engine (2-3 months)
└── P09-2d-game-engine.md

Performance (1 month)
└── P12-template-metaprogramming-library.md

Prerequisites

Essential Knowledge

Basic programming concepts (variables, loops, functions)
Understanding of computer memory (stack vs heap concept)
Command-line familiarity
Basic understanding of compilation

Development Environment

Compiler: GCC 11+, Clang 14+, or MSVC 2022
Build System: CMake 3.20+ or Make
Debugger: GDB or LLDB
Editor: VS Code with C++ extension, or CLion, or Vim/Emacs

Recommended Setup

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install build-essential cmake gdb

# macOS
xcode-select --install
brew install cmake

# Verify installation
g++ --version  # or clang++ --version
cmake --version

How to Use These Guides

For Each Project

Read the entire guide first - Understand the scope and challenges
Complete the self-assessment - Ensure prerequisites are met
Attempt implementation independently - Use hints progressively
Test thoroughly - Verify expected outputs match
Review and refactor - Apply learnings from the guide
Answer interview questions - Solidify understanding

Study Tips

Build before reading solutions - Struggle is where learning happens
Use a debugger - Step through code to understand behavior
Read the book chapters - Theory supports practice
Document your code - Explaining reinforces understanding
Compare with professional implementations - After completing

Essential Resources

Books

Online

cppreference.com - Definitive reference
C++ Core Guidelines - Best practices
Compiler Explorer - See generated assembly
CppCon YouTube - Conference talks

Project Difficulty Legend

Level	Description	Time Commitment
Beginner	Basic syntax, fundamental concepts	1-2 weeks
Intermediate	Deeper understanding, some complexity	2-3 weeks
Advanced	Complex concepts, multiple systems	2-4 weeks
Expert	Systems-level, high complexity	1-3 months
Master	Industry-level challenge	3-12 months

Start with Project 1 and work your way up. Each project builds on skills from previous ones. By the end, you’ll understand not just how to use C++, but why it’s designed the way it is.