C Essentials 2 Course Graphics

About the course

C Essentials 2 (CE2) is the second part of a two-course series designed to prepare you for the CLA – C Certified Associate Programmer certification exam.

This course builds on the foundations laid in C Essentials 1. You’ll explore more advanced topics such as functions and structures, file operations, memory management, complex declarations, and how to use the C preprocessor effectively. Real-world examples and coding labs help reinforce every concept.

CE2 is recommended for students and professionals who want to strengthen their skills in software development, network programming, or operating system development.

Why C?

C powers the digital world. It’s used in operating systems, device drivers, embedded systems, and performance-critical applications. From Linux kernels to microcontrollers, C is the language behind the scenes in nearly every device you use.

Mastering C gives you direct access to system-level programming and prepares you for careers that demand precision, performance, and portability.

The C language is essential for entry-level programming roles and professional development in software engineering.

You will learn

  •  Create and reuse functions effectively
  •  Use structures to represent complex data
  •  Work with files and streams for input/output
  •  Handle errors and manage file operations
  •  Use preprocessor directives and macros
  •  Understand scopes, storage classes, and complex declarations
  •  Prepare for the CLA certification exam


Channel: Edube Interactive

Sponsor: C++ Institute

Mode: Online self-study course

Cost: Free

Study Time: 42 hours (Suggested: 7 hours/week)

Language: English

Associated Certification: CLA – C Certified Associate Programmer (Exam CLA-11-0x)


Enroll for free

Buy CLA Exam Voucher

Associated courses

C Essentials 1

Prerequisites

No formal prerequisites – C Essentials 1 or equivalent experience recommended.



Course Syllabus

The course is divided into three main modules and a welcome section. Each module includes lessons, coding labs, quizzes, and a module test. The course ends with a final test and certification preparation section.

Module 1: Functions and Structures
Learn to create and reuse functions, pass data efficiently, define and use structures, and prepare for modular programming with header files and external declarations.

Module 2: Connecting to the Real World: Files and Streams
Explore stream operations, read and write files, use raw input/output functions, and learn error-handling techniques for managing data flow.

Module 3: Preprocessor and Declarations
Master preprocessor directives, macros, and conditional compilation. Learn about scopes, storage classes, user-defined types, pointers to functions, and complex declarations.

Expand the section below to view the complete course syllabus:

Welcome and Getting Started

  • Welcome to C Essentials 2
  • Understanding Course Structure and Certification Opportunities
  • Getting Started with IDEs and Coding Tools

Module 1: Functions and Structures

  • Understanding and declaring structures
  • Using pointers with structures
  • Passing structures and arrays to functions
  • Working with strings as function parameters
  • Customizing the main() function
  • Returning values and using void
  • Organizing code across multiple files
  • Using header files and the extern keyword
  • Module 1 Test

Module 2: Connecting to the Real World – Files and Streams

  • File vs. stream operations in C
  • Understanding the FILE structure
  • Opening and closing file streams
  • Reading and writing using fgetc(), fputs(), etc.
  • Working with fread() and fwrite()
  • Handling predefined streams: stdin, stdout, stderr
  • Managing file positions with ftell() and fseek()
  • Error handling with errno
  • Module 2 Test

Module 3: Preprocessor and Declarations

  • Using #include and header files
  • Creating macros with #define
  • Parameterized macros and the #undef directive
  • Using predefined macro identifiers
  • Macro operators # and ##
  • Conditional compilation with #if, #ifdef, and related directives
  • Avoiding multiple inclusions with include guards
  • Understanding scope and visibility of declarations
  • Storage classes in C
  • User-defined types with typedef
  • Pointers to functions
  • Reading and writing complex declarations
  • Module 3 Test

Course Completion

  • Final Course Test
  • End of Course Survey
  • Prepare for the CLA Exam (Paid Option)

Certification

C Essentials 2 (CE2) is fully aligned with the CLA – C Certified Associate Programmer certification exam. Together with C Essentials 1, this course prepares you to succeed.

CLA – C Certified Associate Programmer validates your ability to write programs using advanced elements of the C language and apply fundamental programming techniques across platforms.

The certification demonstrates your understanding of C syntax, structures, memory management, file handling, and core library functions.

More information: CLA – C Certified Associate Programmer