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Prerequisites

Before diving into this guide, ensure you have the necessary background knowledge and tools.

Knowledge Prerequisites

Required

Topic Level Why It Matters
C++ Basics Intermediate Classes, templates, STL containers
Pointers & Memory Intermediate Understanding memory layout is crucial
Command Line Basic Building and running examples
Computer Architecture Basic CPU, memory hierarchy, caches

Helpful But Not Required

Topic Benefit
CMake Understanding the build system
Assembly basics Reading compiler output
Parallel programming Concurrency section

System Requirements

Minimum Requirements

  • OS: Linux (Ubuntu 20.04+, Fedora 35+), macOS 12+, or Windows 10/11
  • CPU: x86-64 with AVX support (Intel Haswell/AMD Zen or newer)
  • RAM: 4 GB minimum, 8 GB recommended
  • Disk: 2 GB free space

Recommended for Optimal Experience

  • OS: Linux (for full profiling tool support)
  • CPU: Intel with AVX-512 or AMD with AVX2
  • RAM: 16 GB or more
  • Compiler: GCC 12+ or Clang 15+

Checking Your CPU Features

# Linux - check CPU features
grep flags /proc/cpuinfo | head -1

# Look for: sse4_2, avx, avx2, avx512f

Tool Requirements

Essential Tools

Tool Minimum Version Purpose
CMake 3.20 Build system
C++ Compiler GCC 11+ / Clang 14+ / MSVC 2022+ Compile code
Git 2.30 Version control

Optional Tools (for profiling)

Tool Purpose
perf Linux system profiler
FlameGraph Performance visualization
Valgrind Memory and cache analysis
Intel VTune Advanced profiling (Intel CPUs)

IDEs and Editors

Recommended

  • CLion - Full CMake integration, excellent C++ support
  • VS Code with C++ extension - Lightweight, extensible
  • Visual Studio 2022 - Best for Windows development

Configuration Files Included

The project includes configuration for:

  • .vscode/ - VS Code settings and tasks
  • .clang-format - Code formatting rules
  • .editorconfig - Editor consistency

Pre-Study Checklist

Before starting the learning path:

  • You can write and compile a basic C++ program
  • You understand std::vector, std::map, and basic STL
  • You know what pointers and references are
  • You can use the command line (cd, ls/dir, basic commands)
  • You have a C++20-capable compiler installed
  • You can clone a Git repository

Next Step

Ready? Head to the Quick Start or dive into the Learning Path.

Not ready? Brush up on: