Sprint 4-5 Real World Projects - Expanded Project Guides
Generated from:
SPRINT_4_5_REAL_WORLD_PROJECTS.mdThis folder contains deep-dive guides for each project in the learning path.
Overview
These projects move from core data structures to production-grade systems behaviors: caches, storage engines, traffic shaping, allocators, and disk-based indexes. Each project emphasizes how data structure choices show up in real performance and correctness tradeoffs.
Project Index
| # | Project | Difficulty | Time | Key Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | In-Memory Cache with LRU Eviction | Advanced | 1-2 weeks | hash table + LRU list, TCP server |
| 2 | Log-Structured Key-Value Store (Mini LSM-Tree) | Expert | 2-3 weeks | append-only logs, compaction |
| 3 | Network Packet Buffer / Traffic Shaper | Advanced | 1-2 weeks | ring buffer, backpressure |
| 4 | Simple Memory Allocator with Debugging | Expert | 2 weeks | free lists, coalescing |
| 5 | B-Tree File Index (Mini Filesystem Index) | Expert | 2-3 weeks | disk pages, balanced trees |
Prerequisites
- Strong C fundamentals (pointers, memory management, structs).
- Comfort with file I/O and basic networking.
- Familiarity with core data structures (hash tables, lists, trees).