The C Language

the language, the tools and the programming techniques

This course dives into the practical applications of the C language, emphasizing hands-on learning to solidify key concepts. Delivered in an engaging and unconventional style, the lessons go beyond theory, equipping you with the skills to apply C programming in real-world scenarios.

By the end of the course, you’ll feel confident in your mastery of the C language, adept at using it alongside the tools and utilities professional C programmers rely on daily.

Bestseller Beginner Intermediate | Delivered by Piyush Itankar

(4.83) (6 ratings) 423 students

Last updated: 3 April 2025 | English | 365 days Access.

Course Includes

~ 20 hr  on-demand Video.
61  Recorded lessons.
12  downloadable resources.
29  Quiz questions to reinforce learning.
Certificate  on completion of course.
Cheat sheets and/or quick reference guides.
Case studies based on open-source code.
Coding exercises and challenges.
Code reviewing based learning.
2 End-to-end project implementations.
New content regularly added!

A Message from the instructor

What you Learn

Mental models to use when coding in C.
What is machine code.
Instruction Set Architecture and Assembly coding.
GNU toolchain utilities/programs (gcc, as, ld wtc).
GNU Debugger (GDB).
Automation using Makefiles.
How text is converted to 0s and 1s.
Syntax and Structure of C Programs.
Data types, variables, declaration/definition.
Arrays, Strings and Pointers.
Structs and Union.
arithmetic, logical, relational operators in C.
Functions and Modules/Libraries in C.
Pointers and how to use them in Design.
Types of pointers.
Bit fields and Bit manipulation.
Const and volatile type qualifiers
Controlling placement of code and data in memory.
Loops - for, while, do while.
Branching - if, if-else, switch, goto.
Mixing Assembly and C and the need for it.
Booting RISC-V CPU from scratch.
Cross compiling and what it means.
memory management - Stack vs. Heap.
Dynamic memory allocation (malloc, calloc, realloc, free).
Compiler optimizations (-O1, -O2, -O3, -Os, -Ofast).

16 preview lectures

Here are 16 lectures from the course as a YouTube Playlist. You can experience the flow of the course and the teaching style first hand before starting with the full course.

Full course will be available on the learning portal and include all the other lectures, attachments, project files and more.

Details of Course contents

The list below is a complete list of lectures, quizzes, code reviews, projects, notes etc available on the learning portal at the moment. This list is constantly update with new content every few days...

C Language Tour
1 hr 4 min

The section focuses on the Roadmap, Mindset and the lense through which this course is to be pursued. We also dive into exploring a basic C program so you can learn to spot the patterns when exploring the code outside of the course. To further empower you, we will also look at the three work horse feature of this language.

The Roadmap and Mindset
Sandbox Environment and Basic C Program
Sandbox environment and basic C program.
Hands on: Fix the Code.
Keep an Eye on Functions, Pointers and Structs
Keep an Eye on Functions, Pointers and Structs
Example of the RAW power - Functions, Struct and Pointers
Example of the RAW power - Functions, Struct and Pointers

Mental Models to Brain tattoo
44 min 11 Sec

In this section we will discuss the mental models that you can use to reason about the programs. In an attempt to doing this, we will explore the models of systems from 1970s. System composition and the CPU, Memory and Interactions with environment. This sets the foundation that will enable you to exactly predict the system behavior as a result of the C program that you write.

Mental Model of the System
The mental model of the CPU
The mental model of the Memory

From text to 0s and 1s
1 hr 36 min

In this section, you will learn how the text gets transformed int 0s and 1s that represent the instructions in the memory.

Instruction Encoding and the rv32i ISA
A tour of Toolchain, QEMU, GDB
demo - Assembly to binary, QEMU and GDB
Instruction Encoder Decoder, Makefile and GDB Dashboard

Dwelling in the World of Assembly
1 hr 13 min

Understanding what the system does as a result of the C program becomes very simple once we know how the C statements may be translated to the assembly code. We will thus spend time mastering the structure of the Assembly programs and the instructions available to us.

Anatomy of Assembly Program, writing code, debugging in GDB
Decomposing C to Assembly and the relation
Getting CPU from assembly to jump to C program

C Keywords - Data types
3 hr 30 min

In this section you will spend time internalizing each of the 32 keywords from the C Language and understand the assembly and system level implications.

Introducing the C Keywords
Data types, Variables and Integers
Data types - float and double
Exploring sizes of data types and location in memory
how integers are stored - 2s complement
floating point number encoding and few examples
more floating point - float and double
signed and unsigned
const and volatile
demo - const and volatile
void, c standard and gnu C manual
typedef and sizeof
structs and unions
enums as named numbers

C Keywords - Branching and Looping
2 hr 30 min

In this section take a look at the keywords that relate to branching and looping

if, else, switch, case, default, do, while, for, continue and break
goto and return
Demo - if, else if and else effects at assembly level
Demo - switch case and effects at assembly level
Demo - loops - for, do, while, continue and effects at assembly level
Demo - goto and jumps across functions
auto, register, extern and static
Demo - auto keyword
Demo - register keyword
Demo - extern keyword
Demo - static keyword

Variables and Functions
1 hr

We learn how to write C programs and what role variables and functions play in the context of C programs.

Introduction to Variables and Functions
Definition vs Declaration
Demo - variable and function names
Arithmetic operations and pitfalls

Project 1: Implementing a Calculator
22 mins

Our first project based on the learnings in the previous sections.

Problem Statement and Design Consideration
Setup, variables and user input/output
Using conditions, switch and loops
debugging scanf issue and cleaning up the code
guarding against bad inputs and concluding the project

Strings, Arrays and Pointers
3 hrs 30 mins

We will dive into how data is stored in the memory and referenced when it comes to strings. How we can save multiple instances of data with same data types and what pointers mean.

Strings and concept of array and pointers
Defining and Assigning Arrays
Arrays and out of bound access
Strings and Character arrays
Introduction to the concept of pointers
Syntax related to Pointers
Demo - introduction to working with data pointers
Detour - Endianness
Demo - Difference between array and pointers

Project 2: Digital Audio Synthesis
1 hr

Write the C code to generate the audio samples that the hardware can output to the speaker generating a pure tone.

Problem Statement and Design
Digital audio and project walkthrough
Math concepts and sampling
Generating samples and file operations
Demo - Playing the Digital Audio

Recording in progress!

This and other sections are being recorded at the moment and will be added soon.

How this is different from Others

FeatureUs!Others
Basic C Syntax.
Data types, strings, pointers, operators and other basics.
Code development without IDE, like how the professionals do it.
Decomposition of C code into Assembly and conversion to machine code.
Mental models to aid thinking and reasoning.
A Bottom-Up Approach with the tinge of answering the `Whys`.
Mixing C with Assembly
Real and applicable Case study and programming projects
Project-Based Learning - Develop and learn with a simple yet effective project like C shell, memory allocator, etc.
Teach with insights at the CPU level.
Cover Assembly Language and Machine code.
Cover the toolchain utilities like compiler, assembler, linker and debug tools like GDB?

Certificate

The journey through the course is a challenging one! The course is packed with insights and will take time to sink in. Will be awarded with a Certificate of Mastery if you complete 95% of the course work.

What you see above is a sample certificate (`Test Roy` is a sample student name). The design of this certificate will be modified from time to time to make it more shiny and reflect the rightly earned pride!

There will always be a dedicated certificate identification and a URL to verify it at. This should enable anyone to check the authenticity of the certificate.

The Design and Deliberation

The internet is flooded with coding courses—yet none rival this. For over a decade, C has been my daily driver at work. Unlike kernel developers leaning on abstractions, I’ve wielded C in its purest, most raw form—programming CPUs from scratch, without the crutch of standard libraries. This course hands you that same unfiltered power. By the end, you won’t just know C—you’ll command it like a seasoned pro, bending it to your will in ways most developers never dream of.

Here’s the truth: C’s mastery runs deeper than most realize. The general public and students rarely glimpse its full scope from the sidelines. I’ve lived it, and now I’m pulling back the curtain for you.

Why I Created This Course

Over years of working with C, I’ve noticed a troubling pattern: most engineers learn and use C the wrong way. This course exists to fix that. It’s not just about coding—it’s about teaching you to see the world through C’s lens, to wield it with precision and purpose. My goal is to show you the right way to master this language.

I’ve been fortunate to mentor dozens of interns, guide recent college graduates, coach early-career professionals, and interview nearly 100 industry practitioners for system-level roles on my team. One truth stood out: while many use C daily, few truly understand how to reason about their code at the systems level. That gap inspired this course—a chance to bridge it with real-world insight and hands-on expertise.

Instructors

Piyush Itankar
Embedded Engineer (L5), Google
Electrical Engineer holding a Master’s degree in Embedded Systems, with a proven track record at industry giants. At Intel, contributed expertise to Navigation Firmware, Bluetooth Driver development, and RF validation software. Currently thriving as an Embedded Software Engineer at Google, drove innovation in Firmware development for the Power Management Sub-system on Tensor SoCs (Pixel Phones) and presently advancing system software for the Pixel Watch.

Early praise from YouTube Subscribers

(4.83) course rating. 6 ratings

Because the course is brand new, we released some lectures on YouTube to get early feedback, and it has been a banger! You will not regret taking this course…

@n.5s4584
11/Feb/2025
I just wanted to take a moment to appreciate the amazing content you create! Your videos are not only engaging but also incredibly valuable. I’ve learned so much from your channel, and I always look forward to your uploads. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and insights—keep up the great work! Wishing you all the success you deserve.
@its_me_to-i4e
11/Feb/2025
Your content is amazing! Last time, I bought the advanced C pointer course, and it was so helpful for embedded systems. Please consider making the course fees more affordable so that students like me can easily access them. Keep up the great work
@sharifyy
(5)
10/Feb/2025
your content is amazing, I give it 5 stars
@techpartel9858
2/Feb/2025
The flow of this course is Amazing. It covers a whole system overview of how your C code runs and how it's dumped in your hardware. Everything is excellent. Thank you, @piyush.
@EEShyama
2/Feb/2025
Loving these lectures!! Please keep them coming.
@Simi-bc8sb
1/Feb/2025
Great content. I really appreciate. Thank you
@ElizabethGreene
(5)
31/Jan/2025
Was there any reason why you preferred the RISCV32i chip over an x86 chip in QEMU? I appreciate the lesson in cross compiling too, but was curious why. Thanks for making these. 10/10
@RavindraBhandari-nf8vs
(4)
31/Jan/2025
I like your teaching method 🫡
@soumyadipkar9451
(5)
31/Jan/2025
Enjoyed the session a lot sir! GDB Dashboard is truly amazing! 🔥
@vimalathithand917
31/Jan/2025
Just what I was looking for ! I'm sure that this series is going to be a blast ! Please don't stop the series in the middle and thanks a lot !
@aadishm4793
30/Jan/2025
Great content!!
@Ujjaval___
30/Jan/2025
AMAZING VIDEOS
@aadishm4793
30/Jan/2025
Awesome as all the videos 👍👍🔥
@Padmalayarawal
(5)
30/Jan/2025
Really loved your new content, can't ask for more crazy stuff.
@shabeehabbas4737
29/Jan/2025
Hello bro just saw the this video and I cant wait to start the course, the roadmap is unconventional which is why I think its the most awesome one, please dont stop uploading such great content ❤❤❤
@ankitrajbhar6045
(5)
31/Jan/2025
This is what I actually needed in life today.. thanks a tons..

Requirements

GitHub account to do the hands-on coding in Codespaces.
Interest in the lower level working of the system.
Some exposure to Digital systems is good (but not strictly required).
Basic understanding of number systems, logic gates, bits and bytes is good to have (but not strictly required).

Who this course is for

Students in Academia with C as a subject in the course.
Early Career Professionals using C as development language.
Embedded Systems Engineers.
System Software Engineers.
Electrical/Electronics Engineers working on hardware programming.
Systems Engineer seeking gain system level insights.
Those curious to learn the underlying details of Systems and how to program it using C.
Those seeking a job change and preparing for interviews.

FAQs

What is the difference between this course (paid) and the videos on YouTube?

Only few initial videos are put on YouTube. The Full course has many more videos and is a paid offering. Learners will also have access to the notes, source code files and other resources.

Is this course good for beginners?

Yes! The course is taught as if the learner has no idea about the C programming language.

Why is the course validity 365 days?

We need to maintain the servers that host the courses. At the moment we have enough capital to keep the server afloat for another until. We are striving to make this a lifetime access course. As the funds trickle in, we will revisit the validity and might update it for all the enrolled learners.

Do I need a special machine configuration to take this course?

No! All you will need is an internet connection and the Chrome browser. The hands-on examples and lab work is based on GitHub codespaces platform.

Why is a GitHub account needed?

The Experiments and Labs are based on the GitHub provided Codespaces virtual machine. Codespaces will enable a common work environment for all the learners and avoid the hassle of special setup.

Can I change my email-id post purchase?

As much as we'd like to support that, your account will be linked to your email-id post purchase.

What name will be printed on the Certificate?

The name you use on the platform will be printed as is on the Certificate when it is generated.

Can I follow the steps on my own PC?

Yes for the most part. Better yet would be if you have a linux machine.

How will the open-source contribution work?

We will host few github repos under pyjamabrah with the skeleton code and details asks (in comments) about the subsequent tasks. You can add the code (with your details in the comment if you'd want), create PR (pull-request) and submit. We will review and merge your PR into main.

Will this course be added to `Firmware Engineer's Arsenal`?

No! This is a separate offering and unrelated to my previous work at inpyjama.com. pyjamabrah is exclusively run by me and independent of continuous collaboration with my team.