Foundations for Hacking on OCaml
12 days ago
- #CS-education
- #systems-programming
- #OCaml
- Acquiring fundamental computer skills for hacking on complex systems like OCaml involves mastering tools like command-line, editors, version control, build systems, compilers, and debuggers.
- Many students struggle with practical systems programming skills despite theoretical CS education, especially in regions like India where lab components are often missing.
- Early exposure to computers and systems programming provides a significant advantage, but many students lack this due to less privileged backgrounds.
- Bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills requires hands-on experience, experimentation, and debugging, which are hard to teach in traditional classrooms.
- Recommended resources for learning systems programming include MIT Missing Semester, Stanford CS45, and advanced debugging tools like rr and GDB.
- For OCaml-specific learning, resources include CS3100 Paradigms of Programming, Real World OCaml, and books on systems performance, garbage collection, and multiprocessor programming.