Programming languages1:1 mentoring

C Programming

Understand how a computer really works: master C pointers, memory, structs and files with a 1:1 mentor, at your pace.

Level:: Beginner to intermediate
Format:: 1:1 online mentoring

Free, no-obligation chat · Affordable plans that fit your budget · Start this week

1:1 personal attentionOne mentor, one student, at your pace.
Flexible timingsSessions that fit your week and time zone.
Affordable plansPlans that fit your budget.
Practise between sessionsShort problems that build confidence.

About this course

Learn C Programming online

C is often the first language in engineering and computer systems courses, and it is still the language behind operating systems, embedded devices and much of the software other languages run on. It gives you very little help: no automatic memory management, no bounds checking, and error messages that can be hard to read when you are starting out.

This course follows the standard C syllabus used in university first-year and systems programming courses: types and control flow, functions, arrays and strings, pointers, dynamic memory, structs, files and multi-file programs. Each module lists its topics and what you will be able to do at the end, so you always know where you are.

Learn with an affordable 1:1 mentor who explains each idea with short examples and reviews your code with you. Self-study lessons on MentorNxt exist only for Java and Python, so this course is taught in live 1:1 sessions. Message us on WhatsApp or email, or fill in the short form, for a free, no-obligation chat. We will suggest a plan that fits your budget and flexible timings, and you can start this week.

Who this course is for

Beginners starting with a first programming language
Engineering and computer science students taking a C or systems course
Embedded and electronics learners moving from Arduino to plain C
Developers coming from Python or Java who want to understand memory
Students preparing for systems and interview questions

Outcomes

What you'll learn

Compile, run and debug C programs from the terminal and read compiler warnings with confidence
Use types, operators, conditions, loops and functions correctly
Work with arrays and null-terminated strings without buffer overflows
Explain addresses and pointers and pass data to functions by pointer
Allocate and free memory with malloc and free, and find leaks and invalid accesses
Group data with structs and build linked lists
Read and write files and use command-line arguments
Split a program across header and source files and build it with make

Skills you'll gain

C11
gcc and clang
Pointers
Dynamic memory
Strings in C
Structs
File I/O
Debugging with gdb
Makefiles
Valgrind basics
Problem solving

Detailed syllabus

C Programming syllabus

Every module lists its topics and what you will be able to do. Your mentor plans sessions around them and your own goals.

Module 1
Getting started with C
How C programs are written, compiled and run.
- What C is and where it is used
- Installing gcc or clang and an editor
- Structure of a C program and main()
- Compiling and running from the terminal
- Reading compiler warnings and errors
- printf and scanf
By the end of this module you can
- Set up a C toolchain and run your first program
- Explain the steps from source file to executable
Covered in 1:1 mentoring sessions
Module 2
Types, operators and expressions
Storing values and combining them correctly.
- Integer, floating-point and char types
- Sizes and ranges, and the limits.h header
- Constants and #define
- Arithmetic, relational and logical operators
- Type conversion and casting
- Integer division and overflow
By the end of this module you can
- Choose a suitable type and avoid overflow surprises
- Predict the value of an expression
Covered in 1:1 mentoring sessions
Module 3
Control flow
Making decisions and repeating work.
- if, else if and else
- switch statements
- for, while and do-while loops
- break and continue
- Nested loops and patterns
- Tracing loops by hand
By the end of this module you can
- Write programs that branch and loop correctly
- Trace a loop and fix off-by-one errors
Covered in 1:1 mentoring sessions
Module 4
Functions and program structure
Breaking a program into small reusable pieces.
- Defining and calling functions
- Prototypes and header files
- Parameters and return values
- Scope, static and extern
- Recursion
- The C preprocessor
By the end of this module you can
- Split a problem into small functions
- Write a simple recursive function and explain its base case
Covered in 1:1 mentoring sessions
Module 5
Arrays and strings
Working with contiguous memory safely.
- Declaring and traversing arrays
- Multidimensional arrays
- char arrays and the null terminator
- string.h functions: strlen, strcpy, strcmp
- Buffer overflows and how to avoid them
- Safer input with fgets
By the end of this module you can
- Process arrays and strings without index errors
- Explain why a buffer overflow is dangerous
Covered in 1:1 mentoring sessions
Module 6
Pointers
The idea that unlocks the rest of C.
- Addresses and the & operator
- Declaring pointers and dereferencing
- Pointers and arrays
- Pointer arithmetic
- Passing by pointer
- Pointers to pointers
- Function pointers
- const and pointers
By the end of this module you can
- Draw what a pointer variable holds in memory
- Write functions that change their arguments through pointers
Covered in 1:1 mentoring sessions
Module 7
Dynamic memory
Allocating memory at run time and cleaning up after yourself.
- Stack versus heap
- malloc, calloc, realloc and free
- Memory leaks and dangling pointers
- Checking for NULL
- Finding errors with Valgrind or AddressSanitizer
By the end of this module you can
- Allocate and free memory correctly
- Find and fix a leak or invalid access
Covered in 1:1 mentoring sessions
Module 8
Structs, enums and data structures
Modelling your own data types.
- struct and typedef
- Arrays of structs and pointers to structs
- enum and union
- Linked lists
- Stacks and queues in C
By the end of this module you can
- Model real data with structs
- Build and traverse a linked list
Covered in 1:1 mentoring sessions
Module 9
Files and larger programs
Input and output beyond the console, and multi-file builds.
- fopen, fclose, fgets and fprintf
- Binary files with fread and fwrite
- Command-line arguments
- Splitting code into several .c and .h files
- Makefiles
- Debugging with gdb
By the end of this module you can
- Read and write text and binary files
- Build a multi-file program with a Makefile
Covered in 1:1 mentoring sessions

Ways to learn

How you can learn C Programming

C Programming mentor, 1:1 online

A mentor who knows this course plans sessions around your goal, explains each idea with fresh examples and checks your understanding. Personal attention, flexible timings in your time zone and affordable plans that fit your budget.

Talk to our team

How it works

Your learning journey

Four simple steps to start C Programming with a mentor. A real person replies to you; there is no booking system.

Step 1: Talk to us
Message us on WhatsApp or email, or fill in the short form. The first chat is free, with no obligation.
Step 2: Get your plan
We listen to your goal, level and deadlines, then suggest a plan that fits your budget and timings.
Step 3: Learn with your mentor
Online 1:1 sessions with a mentor who knows your course, explains clearly and checks your understanding.
Step 4: Practise & track progress
Keep going between sessions with practice, and watch your confidence grow week by week.

Learn by doing

Projects and practice

Student records in files
A console program that stores student structs, saves them to a file and loads them back.
Dynamic string library
Your own small string toolkit using malloc, with functions to copy, join and split text safely.
Linked-list contact book
Add, search and delete contacts held in a linked list, with memory checked using Valgrind.
Mini shell or word counter
A command-line tool that reads arguments and files, such as a word counter in several source files.

Your progress

What you'll be able to do

Milestones from the start, middle and end of the syllabus.

Set up a C toolchain and run your first program
Early on
Process arrays and strings without index errors
Halfway
Read and write text and binary files
By the end

FAQs

C Programming: frequently asked questions

Is there a self-study option for C Programming?

Not yet. MentorNxt's free self-study lessons cover Java and Python only, so C Programming is taught through 1:1 mentoring. Your mentor plans sessions around your goals, explains with fresh examples and reviews your code with you.

I keep getting segmentation faults. Can a mentor help?

Yes, and it is one of the most useful things to work on together. Your mentor will show you how to find where the crash happens, what usually causes it (a bad pointer, an index out of range, memory used after it was freed) and how to write code that avoids it next time.

Is C a good first language?

It can be, especially for engineering students, because it shows how a computer really works. It is also less forgiving than Python or Java. A mentor sets the pace so the basics feel solid before pointers and memory arrive.

Which C standard and compiler do you use?

We teach modern C (C11 or later) with gcc or clang, and the mentor can help you set up on Windows, macOS or Linux. If your course uses a specific compiler or older standard, your mentor will match it.

How much does mentoring cost?

1:1 mentoring is personal online tutoring and is affordable, with plans that fit your budget. Tell us your goal and how often you would like sessions, and our team will suggest an option that works for you in a free, no-obligation chat.

How do I get started?

Message us on WhatsApp or email, or fill in the short form on this page. Our team replies, talks through your goal and level, and arranges a mentor at flexible timings in your time zone. You can start this week.

Free, no-obligation chat

Talk to our team about C Programming

Tell us what you need. Our support team replies within one working day, by email or WhatsApp, whichever you prefer, and arranges your mentor.

Prefer to talk first?

Message the support team directly. We usually reply the same day.

Chat on WhatsApp Email us

Our mentors teach and explain. They never complete graded work, tests or assessments for students.

Keep going

Syllabus references

Last reviewed9 November 2026

Ready to start C Programming?

Message us on WhatsApp or email, or fill in the short form. Our team replies with a plan that fits your goal and budget, and you can start this week.

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Learn C Programming online

Who this course is for

What you'll learn

Skills you'll gain

C Programming syllabus

Getting started with C

Types, operators and expressions

Control flow

Functions and program structure

Arrays and strings

Pointers

Dynamic memory

Structs, enums and data structures

Files and larger programs

How you can learn C Programming

C Programming mentor, 1:1 online

Your learning journey

Step 1: Talk to us

Step 2: Get your plan

Step 3: Learn with your mentor

Step 4: Practise & track progress

Projects and practice

Student records in files

Dynamic string library

Linked-list contact book

Mini shell or word counter

What you'll be able to do

C Programming: frequently asked questions

Talk to our team about C Programming

Related courses

C++ Programming

Data Structures and Algorithms

Operating Systems

Computer Architecture

Arduino & Robotics

Programming for Beginners

Syllabus references

Ready to start C Programming?

Learn C Programming online

Who this course is for

What you'll learn

Skills you'll gain

C Programming syllabus

Getting started with C

Types, operators and expressions

Control flow

Functions and program structure

Arrays and strings

Pointers

Dynamic memory

Structs, enums and data structures

Files and larger programs

How you can learn C Programming

C Programming mentor, 1:1 online

Your learning journey

Step 1: Talk to us

Step 2: Get your plan

Step 3: Learn with your mentor

Step 4: Practise & track progress

Projects and practice

Student records in files

Dynamic string library

Linked-list contact book

Mini shell or word counter

What you'll be able to do

C Programming: frequently asked questions

Talk to our team about C Programming

Related courses

C++ Programming

Data Structures and Algorithms

Operating Systems

Computer Architecture

Arduino & Robotics

Programming for Beginners

Syllabus references

Ready to start C Programming?