C Projects
Projects and Practical Applications
Learn how to apply your C knowledge to real-world projects.
In this section, we will build mini applications using the features you've learned throughout the tutorial.
Why Build Projects?
Projects are an essential part of learning C. Start small and gradually add more features:
- Understand how real programs are structured
- Practice combining concepts (e.g., functions, loops, file handling)
- Improve your debugging and problem-solving skills
- Prepare for job interviews and relevant exercises
Tip: The more you build, the better you understand.
Project Examples
You can start with very small projects that use simple input and output. For example, write a program that:
- Asks for your name
- Asks for your age
- Prints:
Hi <name>! You will turn <age+1> next year.
Once you are comfortable, try slightly bigger projects that combine loops, conditions, and arrays:
- Create a small shopping list program (store items and print them)
- Guess a Number Game
- Calculate a Student's Average
As your skills grow in C, you can move on to more advanced projects that involve functions, structures, and file handling:
- Simple Calculator
- Address Book
- To-Do List
- Quiz Game
Project: Calculate a Students Average
Let's create a program to calculate a student's average from multiple grades.
The program asks the user to enter 1 to 5 grades and calculates the average. Then display the average and a corresponding letter grade (A to F):
Example
// This function returns a letter grade based on the average
char gradeFunction(double avg) {
if (avg >= 90) return 'A';
else if (avg >= 80) return 'B';
else if (avg >= 70) return 'C';
else if (avg >= 60) return 'D';
else return 'F';
}
int main(void) {
int count;
double sum = 0, grade;
// Ask the user to enter total grades between 1 to 5
printf("How many grades (1 to 5)? ");
scanf("%d", &count);
// Validate that count is
between 1 and 5
if (count < 1 || count > 5) {
printf("Invalid number. You must enter between 1 and 5 grades.\n");
return 1; // Exit
}
// Loop to collect each grade
for (int i = 1; i <= count; i++) {
printf("Enter grade %d: ", i);
scanf("%lf", &grade);
sum += grade;
}
// Calculate the average score
double avg = sum / count;
// Display
numeric average
printf("Average: %.2f\n", avg);
// Display letter grade
printf("Letter grade: %c\n", gradeFunction(avg));
return 0;
}
Example output:
How many grades (1 to 5)? 3
Enter grade 1: 85
Enter grade 2: 91
Enter grade 3: 78
Average: 84.6667
Letter grade: B
Key Concepts Used: loops, functions, conditions, input handling, and basic logic.
Practice Challenge
Build your own small project. For example, write a program that:
- Asks the user to enter up to 5 items they need to buy
- Stores the items in an array
- Prints the full shopping list
- Counts how many items were entered
Extra Challenge: Add a feature that lets the user search for an item and tells them if it is in the list.
Open CodeBlocks or any similar IDE for C, and experiment on your own!
Start small. Add one feature at a time. Remember to test often!
Tip: We have also gathered a set of simple projects in our Real Life Examples page.
