C++ Learning Projects

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This repository groups several projects implemented in modern C++ (C++23) for practicing object-oriented programming, genericity, data structures and algorithms, error handling, concurrency, and testing best practices.

Contents

1. Minesweeper

A console-based Minesweeper game.

• Features:
  • Random grid generation with mines.
  • Cell revealing (with recursive or iterative cascade).
  • Flag marking.
  • Win/loss detection.
• Key concepts:
  • OOP, classes, inheritance, polymorphism.
  • Use of std::unique_ptr, std::vector.
  • RAII, std::move, std::random.
• Compilation: see instructions below.

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2. Sudoku (solver and generator)

A complete Sudoku program:

• Solver: solves any partial grid via backtracking.
• Puzzle generator: creates a random grid with a unique solution (up to ~50 empty cells).
• Player mode: value input, solution verification, colors.
• Key concepts:
  • Recursive backtracking.
  • State management, grid copy/restoration.
  • Validation algorithms (rows, columns, blocks).
  • std::shuffle, random generation.
  • ANSI sequences for colored output, natively enabled on Linux/macOS and via the Windows Virtual Terminal API on Windows, with conditional code (#ifdef _WIN32) for true cross‑platform compilation.
• Compilation: see instructions below.

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3. MiniVector & DynamicBitset

A generic dynamic container and a dynamic bitset.

• Goals:

  • Implement MiniVector<T>, a drop-in replacement for std::vector (dynamic allocation, Rule of 5, iterators, exception safety).
  • Build DynamicBitset on top of MiniVector<unsigned char>, with bit-level operations (set, reset, test, flip, count, any, none).

• MiniVector features (complete):

  • Constructors: default, count+value, initializer_list, iterator range, copy, move
  • Rule of 5 (copy/move constructors and assignments, destructor)
  • Element access: operator[], at, front, back, data
  • Capacity: size, capacity, empty, max_size, reserve, shrink_to_fit
  • Modifiers: push_back, pop_back, emplace_back, clear, resize, assign
  • Insertion: insert (value, move, count, initializer_list, range), emplace
  • Erasure: erase (single, range)
  • Iterators: begin/end, cbegin/cend, rbegin/rend, crbegin/crend
  • Operators: ==, <, <=, >, >=, !=, swap (member and free)
  • Strong exception safety on resize, assign, constructors, shrink_to_fit, reallocate, insert, emplace

• Key concepts:

  • Class templates and template metaprogramming
  • Manual memory management (::operator new / ::operator delete)
  • Object lifetime (std::construct_at / std::destroy_at)
  • Exception safety and the copy-and-swap idiom
  • Operator overloading
  • Iterators and ADL-based swap
  • Bitwise operations (|, &, ^, ~, <<, >>)

• Status: MiniVector complete, DynamicBitset in progress.

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4. Generic Binary Search Tree (upcoming)

A generic BST (Binary Search Tree) with insertion, search, deletion, and traversals.

• Planned features:
  • BinarySearchTree<T> parameterised by type.
  • In‑order, pre‑order, post‑order traversals.
  • Simple iterators.
  • Use of std::unique_ptr for node management.
• Key concepts:
  • Class and function templates.
  • Recursion.
  • Smart pointers.
  • Customisable comparators.
• Status: to be started.

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5. Arithmetic Expression Evaluator (upcoming)

A parser and evaluator for mathematical expressions in infix notation (e.g., "3 + 4 * (2 - 1)" → 7).

• Planned features:
  • Lexical analysis: tokenise a string into tokens (numbers, operators, parentheses).
  • Recursive‑descent parser respecting operator precedence (*// before +/-) and parentheses.
  • Construction of an Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) representing the expression.
  • Recursive evaluation of the AST.
  • Error handling: invalid syntax, division by zero, mismatched parentheses.
• Key concepts:
  • Recursion and syntax trees.
  • Separation of lexer / parser / evaluator.
  • enum class for token types.
  • Proper error handling (exceptions, or std::optional/std::expected).
• Status: to be started.

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6. Mini JSON Parser / JSON API (upcoming)

A minimal JSON parser and an API for manipulating JSON data.

• Planned features:
  • Lexical and syntactic analysis of a JSON file.
  • Building a tree of values (JsonValue).
  • Field access, iteration over arrays.
  • Serialisation (back to JSON text).
• Key concepts:
  • Variadic templates.
  • std::variant, std::optional, std::vector, std::map.
  • Recursion over structures.
  • Type traits and SFINAE.
• Status: to be started.

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7. Concurrency Project (upcoming)

A simple thread pool and/or a producer‑consumer example.

• Planned features:
  • ThreadPool: task submission (std::function, std::future), thread‑safe queue.
  • Producer‑consumer example with multiple producer and consumer threads.
  • Proper synchronisation (no race conditions, no deadlocks).
• Key concepts:
  • std::thread, std::mutex, std::lock_guard, std::unique_lock.
  • std::condition_variable, std::atomic.
  • std::future / std::promise.
  • Race conditions, deadlocks, and how to avoid them.
• Status: to be started.

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Automated Testing

Goal: replace manual validation (compile + run + visual check) with a versioned, reproducible, and continuously executable test suite.

• Framework: Catch2 (header‑only, lightweight, good CMake integration) — to be confirmed against GoogleTest depending on needs.
• Initial scope (already completed projects, tests added retroactively):
  • Minesweeper: mine placement, neighbour mine count, cascade reveal, win/loss detection.
  • Sudoku: row/column/block validation, backtracking solve, uniqueness of generated solution, consistency of generatePuzzle (number of holes, state restoration).
• Future scope: every new project (MiniVector, DynamicBitset, BST, expression evaluator, JSON, concurrency) is delivered with its own test suite from the start, rather than added afterwards.
• Status: to be integrated.

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Prerequisites

• C++23 compiler: GCC ≥ 14 (for <print> support). This is the only compiler verified by CI (Linux, macOS via Homebrew, Windows via MinGW-w64/MSYS2). Clang and MSVC are not currently tested and are not guaranteed to work
• CMake ≥ 3.20 (recommended) or a simple Makefile.
• Operating system: Windows 10/11, Linux, macOS.
• For coloured output on Windows, the program automatically enables virtual terminal mode; on Linux/macOS, ANSI codes work natively.
• For the concurrency project, a properly linked threads library (-lpthread on Linux/macOS depending on compiler; usually automatic with CMake via Threads::Threads).
• For automated tests, Catch2 (retrievable via CMake FetchContent, or a package manager like vcpkg / Conan).

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Clone the Repository

Don't forget to pull the submodules with the repository using --recursive:

git clone --recursive https://github.com/SamuelDouay/language_cpp.git

or if you have already cloned the repository:

git submodule init
git submodule update

To build the project you will need a C++23 compliant compiler.

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Compilation and Execution

Each project is independent and has its own folder.

With CMake (recommandé)

# At the root of the repository
cmake -S . -B build
cmake --build build

# Run a project (e.g., Sudoku)
./build/sudoku

# Run the test suite (once Catch2 is integrated)
ctest --test-dir build

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Manual compilation (example for Sudoku)

cd sudoku
g++ -std=c++23 -Wall -Wextra -O2 src/*.cpp -o sudoku
./sudoku