Rust is a language originally made by Mozilla for use in browsers. It features both a powerful type system which makes writing abstractions easy and the borrow checker which gives the compiler the ability to guarantee memory safety. When you have an error in your code, the Rust compiler will typically pinpoint its exact location with a helpful diagnostic.

Rust is becoming extremely popular among programmers and was voted the most loved programming language in the 2020 StackOverflow survey. It is quickly gaining recognition as a preferred language across industries, with Amazon, Microsoft, and Google as notable examples. However, Rust is also known for its steep learning curve. This workshop will provide you with a path to understanding Rust and obtaining intermediate proficiency, designed for people familiar with C++.

Project structure and the Cargo package manager

Data types (Algebraic data types, Struct, Enum)

Pattern matching, functional programming aspects

Exercises, including Rust for embedded systems


Familiarity with C++ or another equivalent systems programming language is strongly recommended.




C++ programmers who are interested in getting started with the Rust programming language. People who are looking into the advantages of integrating Rust in their C++ project, or who want to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the industry.




We recommend installing rust on your system ahead of the workshop: 

2 Days

Rust for the C++ Developer

C++/Embedded

Programming Languages

We start immediately with working programs.

Packaging and distribution of Python packages

Callable objects, lambdas, and extended argument syntax

Properties, class methods, and static methods

Multiple inheritance, method resolution order, and super()

Collection protocols and implementing collections

This workshop requires that you bring a laptop with the following software installed:

Python 3.3 or greater installed. Python 3.5.1 would be ideal. 

An editor for Python code. Attendees can use whatever editor they prefer, but we recommend PyCharm which is a full-featured Python IDE : 

The ability to either connect to the Internet or accept USB flash drives so we can distribute course materials on the day.

Python Properly

Python

In this two-day workshop, you will learn about good unit tests (GUTs) and test-driven development (TDD) by seeing what it takes, putting them into practice, and reviewing what you've learned. What practices support readable and maintainable tests? What test pitfalls hold developers and products back? How do you make testing fun and not a chore? Come along to answer these questions and more.


The workshop includes lecture, hands-on coding exercises, and Q&A. The examples and hands-on exercises will use C++, but you don't need to be a C++ guru to take part. We can also discuss similarities, differences, and challenges of unit testing across different codebases, with different frameworks, and in other languages.

Driving Your C++ Code with Tests

Testing

 is a two day training course. It is ideal for new hires that have little to no experience in C++, but are proficient in an Object Oriented Programming language, like Java or C#.

 should ideally be taken before Mod(C++) Intermediate, another two day course which expands on the topics in Mod(C++) Fundamentals. Taken together these two courses will give a good foundation for a modern C++ programmer.


The Fundamentals course gives the students an understanding of how one should think and program in “Modern C++” (C++11/14/17/20). The exercises will all be based around a 2D graphics game inspired by PacMan. Topics covered in the course include:

Variable and function use, including auto, const, overloading and function templates

Namespaces, classes and structs, when and how to use them

Standard library containers and algorithms usage

How to efficiently use values and references

Memory theory, including understanding allocation on the heap and stack

RAII and lifetime management, including Rule of Zero

Lambda functions and using them with standard algorithms

An introduction to the C++ compilation model and advice to make the best use of compilers and build systems

Students are assumed to be proficient in anObject Oriented Programming language like Java or C#. They should be working in (or looking to work in) a C++ project.

The exercises will be done in a CMake based project. The students will need a development environment, a rich IDE is recommended, for example Jetbrains CLion, QtCreator or Visual Studio. A GitHub account will be useful.

Mod(C++) Fundamentals

In a two day in-person workshop, we will cover:

Overview of how to use high-level profiling tools

Investigation into two real-world performance issue as a class

Practical rules to avoid the issues that are hard to track and bleed performance from many different places

The intersection of Practical Performance Practices and Best Practices

Practical Performance Practices



(+) Topics marked with a plus sign will be covered as time permits.

1. Fundamental concepts
* System calls and library functions
* Error handling
* System data types

2. File I/O
* File descriptors
* I/O system calls: open(), close(), read(), write()
* Seeking to a file offset: lseek(); file holes
* Relationship between file descriptors and open files
* Duplicating file descriptors
* Open file status flags
* I/O buffering in stdio and the kernel

3. File attributes
* Retrieving file information: stat()
* File ownership and permissions
* Changing file attributes

4. Directories and links (+)
* Hard and soft (symbolic) links
* Directories
* Current working directory
* System calls and library functions for working with directories and links

5. Processes
* Process ID and parent process ID
* Memory layout of a process
* Command-line arguments
* Environment list

6. Process Credentials
* Password and group file
* User and group IDs
* Process credentails: real and effective IDs; supplementary group IDs
* Retrieving process credentials

7. Signals
* Signal types and default actions
* Setting signal dispositions
* Signal handlers
* Blocking signals (the signal mask); pending signals
* Designing signal handler functions
* Reentrant and async-signal-safe functions

8. Process lifecycle
* Process creation: fork()
* File descriptors and fork()
* Process termination: exit(3) and _exit(2)
* Monitoring child processes: wait(), waitpid()
* Orphans and zombies
* The SIGCHLD signal

9. Executing programs
* Executing a program: execve()
* The exec() library functions
* File descriptors and exec()

10. Privileged programs (+)
* Set-user-ID and set-group-ID programs
* Changing process credentials

11. Using pipes and FIFOs for interprocess communication (+)
* Creating and using pipes
* Using pipes to connect filters
* FIFOs
* Semantics of I/O on pipes and FIFOs




The following people are likely to find the workshop of particular benefit:
* Programmers developing system-level applications for Linux systems, or programmers porting such applications from other operating systems (e.g., Windows) to Linux.
* Embedded programmers developing applications for Linux, or porting embedded applications from systems such as VxWorks or QNX to Linux.
* DevOps engineers and sytem administrators who want to gain a greater insight into the oepration of Linux applications.




The workshop consists of a mixture of detailed presentations coupled with many coding exercises that allow participants to apply the knowledge learned in the presentations.




* You should have a good reading knowledge of C or C++. For the practical sessions, templates will be provided to relieve you of the need to type in tedious boilerplate code. The templates are in C, but if you wish, it is also possible to complete the exercises in another suitable language such as D, Rust, or of course C++.
* You should have a basic familiarity with the Linux/UNIX command line to do tasks such as listing directories, editing files, and compiling programs.
* No previous system programming experience is assumed.




You'll need a laptop with Linux installed--either as a native install or inside a virtual machine (VM). In the latter case, you should ensure that the VM has working Internet access. The system should have a C compiler (e.g., gcc) and "make" installed. (It's likely that both of these are provided as part of the default install, if you are setting up a new system.)

NDC { TechTown }

Workshops

09:00 - 17:00 (UTC+02)

Linux System Programming Fundamentals

Michael Kerrisk

Mod(C++) Fundamentals

Patricia Aas

Corentin Jabot

Driving Your C++ Code with Tests

Kevlin Henney

Python Properly

Austin Bingham

Rust for the C++ Developer

Hans Elias B. Josephsen

Sebastian Roll

Practical Performance Practices

Jason Turner