Writing, Running, and Fixing Code in C (Coursera)

Offered by Duke University,
Writing, Running, and Fixing Code in C (Coursera)

Building on the course Programming Fundamentals, this course will teach you how to write code by first planning what your program should do—an important approach for novice and professional programmers. You will learn how to compile and run your program, and then how to test and debug it. This course builds on the Seven Steps you have already learned and provides a framework for systematically testing for problems and fixing them, so you can find and fix problems efficiently.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Course 2 of 4 in the Introduction to Programming in C Specialization.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Writing Code
In this module, you will learn to write code and do your first assignment in the Practice Programming Environment. You have practiced the first four steps of the Seven Steps in the previous course, and you will review them here before learning Step 5: Translating Your Algorithm to Code. Expert programmers spend most of their time planning before they begin writing code, and you will learn to do the same!

WEEK 2
Compiling and Running
Now that you know how to plan an algorithm and translate it to code, you need to learn how to compile and run it! You will learn about the compiler, which takes the code you wrote and translates it into instructions a machine can execute, which you can then run. You will also learn about different options you can give the compiler, as well as different ways to run your program that give you debugging information.

WEEK 3
Testing and debugging
Two skills that are crucial to good programming are testing—finding problems with your code, and debugging—fixing them. In this module you will learn systematic ways to identify problems in your code, as well as how to apply the scientific method to fix your program when you do find a bug.

WEEK 4
Project
In this module you will begin the project you will complete over the course of the rest of the specialization. At the end of each course, you will write a piece of a program that will calculate the odds of different poker hands winning with a Monte Carlo simulation—a way to calculate complicated probabilities by generating random data.
Practice Programming Environment

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Learn TypeScript (Coursera) Coursera
Scrimba

Learn TypeScript (Coursera)

Are you a proficient developer in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, looking to elevate your technical skillset? Have you observed an increasing demand for TypeScript in the professional job market and are keen to explore its significance? Are you in search of a programming language that offers ease in readability and debugging? If the answer to any of these questions is affirmative, then you have arrived at the optimal course to advance your career.

Oct 26th 2026
4 Weeks
C++程序设计 (Coursera) Coursera
Peking University

C++程序设计 (Coursera)

讲授C++语言中和面向对象有关的概念和语法,如类和对象、运算符重载、继承和多态、类模板和算法模板、标准模板库等。目标是使得学生能够用C++语言,以面向对象的方法编写可维护性、可扩充性好的,较大规模的程序,初步领会面向对象程序设计方法的优势所在。

Oct 19th 2026
5-12 Weeks
¡A Programar! Una introducción a la programación (Coursera) Coursera
University of Edinburgh,Universidad ORT Uruguay

¡A Programar! Una introducción a la programación (Coursera)

¿Alguna vez pensaste en crear tus propios juegos de computadora, pero no tenías idea cómo hacerlo o por dónde comenzar? Este curso te enseñará a programar utilizando Scratch, un lenguaje de programación visual muy fácil de usar, y más importante aún, aprenderás los principios fundamentales de la computación para que comiences a pensar como ingeniero/a de software.

Oct 19th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Programando con Java para aplicaciones Android (Coursera) Coursera
Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Programando con Java para aplicaciones Android (Coursera)

¡Aprende lo mejor de Java para el desarrollo en Android! Descubre lo necesario para construir tus aplicaciones móviles de una forma sencilla, objetiva y práctica. A lo largo del curso, verás diversos ejemplos para crear tu primer Hola Mundo y practicarás la programación orientada a objetos.

Oct 19th 2026
3 Weeks
Development of Real-Time Systems (Coursera) Coursera
EIT Digital

Development of Real-Time Systems (Coursera)

This course is intended for the Master's student and computer engineer who likes practical programming and problem solving! After completing this course, you will have the knowledge to plan and set-up a real-time system both on paper and in practice. The course centers around the problem of achieving timing correctness in embedded systems, which means to guarantee that the system reacts within the real-time requirements.

Oct 19th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Open Source Programming - Bachelor's (Coursera) Coursera
Illinois Tech

Open Source Programming - Bachelor's (Coursera)

Contemporary open-source programming languages and frameworks are presented in this course. Students will consider design and development topics in system, graphical user interface, network, and web programming. Dynamic scripting languages are covered using object-oriented, concurrent, and functional programming paradigms. Concepts gained throughout the course are reinforced with numerous exercises which will culminate in an open-source programming project.

Oct 26th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Programming Mobile Applications for Android Handheld Systems: Part 1 (Coursera) Coursera
University of Maryland, College Park

Programming Mobile Applications for Android Handheld Systems: Part 1 (Coursera)

This course introduces you to the design and implementation of Android applications for mobile devices. You will develop an app from scratch, assuming a basic knowledge of Java, and learn how to set up Android Studio, work with various Activities and create simple user interfaces to make your apps run smoothly.

Oct 26th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Data Analytics for Lean Six Sigma (Coursera) Coursera
University of Amsterdam

Data Analytics for Lean Six Sigma (Coursera)

Welcome to this course on Data Analytics for Lean Six Sigma. In this course you will learn data analytics techniques that are typically useful within Lean Six Sigma improvement projects. At the end of this course you are able to analyse and interpret data gathered within such a project. You will be able to use Minitab to analyse the data. I will also briefly explain what Lean Six Sigma is.

Oct 26th 2026
5-12 Weeks
The Unix Workbench (Coursera) Coursera
Johns Hopkins University

The Unix Workbench (Coursera)

Unix forms a foundation that is often very helpful for accomplishing other goals you might have for you and your computer, whether that goal is running a business, writing a book, curing disease, or creating the next great app. The means to these goals are sometimes carried out by writing software. Software can’t be mined out of the ground, nor can software seeds be planted in spring to harvest by autumn. Software isn’t produced in factories on an assembly line. Software is a hand-made, often bespoke good. If a software developer is an artisan, then Unix is their workbench.

Oct 26th 2026
4 Weeks
Developing Android Apps with App Inventor (Coursera) Coursera
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology - HKUST

Developing Android Apps with App Inventor (Coursera)

The course will give students hands-on experience in developing interesting Android applications. No previous experience in programming is needed, and the course is suitable for students with any level of computing experience. MIT App Inventor will be used in the course. It is a blocks-based programming tool that allows everyone, even novices, to start programming and build fully functional apps for Android devices. Students are encouraged to use their own Android devices for hands-on testing and exploitation.

Oct 19th 2026
5-12 Weeks