System Programming in C++

This repository contains hands-on implementations of core system programming concepts using C++.
It is designed to demonstrate a practical understanding of operating system internals, inter-process communication (IPC), process management, and synchronization mechanisms on Unix/Linux systems.

The focus is on how things work under the hood, not just on producing output.

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🧠 Key Concepts Covered

• Process creation and execution (fork, exec)
• Inter-process communication (Pipes, FIFOs)
• Synchronization problems (Producer–Consumer, Reader–Writer)
• File system and low-level file handling
• Shell internals and command execution
• Performance-conscious, low-level C++ programming

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🛠️ Technology Stack

• Language: C++
• Platform: Linux / Unix-based systems
• Standards & APIs: POSIX system calls

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📁 Project Structure

1. Shell Implementation

A basic Unix-like shell that:

• Accepts user commands
• Spawns child processes using fork()
• Executes commands using the exec() family
• Demonstrates process lifecycle and command execution flow

Concepts: process management, system calls, command parsing

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2. Pipe Implementation

Implementation of unnamed pipes:

• Enables communication between parent and child processes
• Demonstrates unidirectional data flow
• Manages file descriptors correctly

Concepts: IPC, pipes, file descriptor handling

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3. Named Pipe (FIFO) Implementation

Implements communication between unrelated processes:

• Creates and uses named pipes (FIFOs)
• Demonstrates blocking behavior and synchronization
• Useful for producer–consumer style communication

Concepts: FIFO, IPC across independent processes

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4. Producer–Consumer Problem

Classic synchronization problem implementation:

• Manages shared resources safely
• Demonstrates race conditions and coordination logic

Concepts: shared variables, synchronization fundamentals

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5. Reader–Writer Problem

Implementation of the reader–writer synchronization problem:

• Allows concurrent readers
• Ensures exclusive access for writers
• Focuses on correctness and access control

Concepts: concurrency, synchronization strategies

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6. File Entry Finder

Utility for file inspection and analysis:

• Reads file metadata
• Demonstrates low-level file system operations

Concepts: file handling, OS-level file APIs

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🚀 How to Compile and Run

Use g++ to compile individual programs:

g++ filename.cpp -o output
./output