Memory & Systems

About this track

Understand how memory works - from RAM fundamentals to stack and heap allocation and pointer arithmetic.

The Memory & Systems track collects 7 modules and 28 lessons into a single ordered path. Each module ends with a checkpoint quiz; passing the checkpoint unlocks the next module so you can track your progress without guessing whether the material has stuck.

You start with "Memory Fundamentals" and finish on "Virtual Memory Advanced". The whole track sits inside the Foundations area of the curriculum, so the writing assumes the prerequisites listed above and skips ground that an earlier track has already covered.

What this track covers

• Memory Fundamentals — Explore how computers store and retrieve data. From RAM and ROM to cache hierarchies and virtual memory, understand the memory systems that keep programs running.
• The Stack & The Heap — Understand the two primary regions of runtime memory. Learn how the stack manages function calls and local variables, and how the heap handles dynamic allocation.
• Addresses & Pointers — Demystify one of the most powerful (and feared) concepts in low-level programming. Learn how memory addresses work, what pointers really are, and how to use them safely.
• Advanced Memory Management — Explore multi-level page tables, TLB mechanics, memory allocator internals across platforms, garbage collection algorithms, and memory-mapped I/O.
• Memory Safety & Debugging — Understand every class of memory error, master sanitizers and Valgrind for dynamic analysis, and compare how different languages prevent memory bugs.
• Cache & Performance — Master CPU cache architecture, write cache-friendly code, use profiling tools to measure cache behaviour, and understand NUMA and modern memory technologies.
• Virtual Memory Advanced — Deep dive into address space layout, ASLR implementation, hardware memory protection mechanisms, and the kernel's memory management policies.