Syllabus - CS 32: Object-Oriented Design & Implementation

This course is a continuation of introductory classes CS 16 and CS 24. We are going to explore more features of C++, generic programming, object-oriented programming, programming tools and compilation pipeline, and some data structures and algorithms along the way.

This course is a potpourri of topics: advanced topics in object-oriented programming including polymorphism, inheritance, encapsulation; an introduction to compilation, linking, and loading; templates; manual memory management; specific data structures and algorithms; and recent advances in design and development tools, practices, libraries, and operating system support.

Since the course covers a pleathora of topics, we will be using three required textbooks, and several handouts. There will be also recommended text books and resources if you want to learn more about the data structures we cover or modern C++.

Because you are going to learn a lot of topics and develop new skills, this course is designed around giving you a lot of practice. To properly apply the topics you learn taught here, you need to develop an intuition for them, so I suggest (1) prototyping your solutions constantly, (2) testing your understanding, and (3) refining your understanding when you change your design/approach/code/etc. Writing a lot of code this way will help you build an understanding on when and how to apply the techniques you learn in this class.

Debugging memory bugs (or bugs in general) can get frustrating. Definitely reach out to the course staff if you get stuck. We deliberately spread out office hours to allow you to discuss your work and questions with us, you can also ask your questions on GauchoSpace forums. If you need to share your code to ask questions, you can email the staff using GauchoSpace, and include a link to your assignment repo on GitHub. Pair programming, tracing the steps of your program, and explaining your approach to another person are tremendously useful when you are stuck. We encourage working in pairs so you have another person to discuss your solution with. Even if you are working solo, you can still come to the office hours to do the same with the instructor/TAs/LAs.

A tentative schedule of particular topics to cover are as follows:

• Week 1: Linear search, templates, a refresher on standard library containers.
• Week 2: Object-oriented design, abstract data types, namespaces
• Week 3: Recursive algorithms, binary search, sorting
• Week 4: Hashing
• Week 5: Midterm review + Midterm
• Week 6: Inheritance, polymorphism
• Week 7: Exceptions, Dynamic memory management
• Week 8: Dynamic memory management (ctd.)
• Week 9: Modern C++ constructs
• Week 10: Intro to operating systems, processes

By the end of the class, the students will:

• Implement and analyze the complexity of several algorithms and data structures, such as:
  • sorting algorithms
  • hash tables
• Debug their programs using debugging tools.
• Assess the advantages and disadvantages of different C++ language constructs for dynamic memory allocation.
• Familiarize themselves with operating systems (OS) concepts in relation to how the OS runs the programs they write.
• Design the structure of their programs for creating modular, reusable code; using the topics we learn in this class:
  • Encapsulation
  • Exceptions
  • Polymorphism in different flavors
• Practice pair programming to communicate how they write code, if they choose to do so.

The lectures are going to be structured mainly around live coding sessions, although we will also discuss more theoretical topics (designing particular algorithms) before writing C++ code. These sessions will work as discussions where students have suggestions for key points when writing the program, give input on what a program may do, and suggest possible solutions to any bugs in the presented program.

In the lab sections, the students will work on their programming assignments (also called labs). The students may choose to work in pairs, in which case they will do pair programming as outlined in the main class page.

There are two kinds of assignments: homeworks (on paper/GradeScope) and lab assignments (writing programs). There will be roughly 2 homeworks and 1 lab per week on average. In addition to the assignments, there will be a midterm and a final. The exact breakdown of grades are to be determined but here is the tentative breakdown (mainly, the relative weight of the exams may change depending on how much material is covered in each exam):

• Labs: 24%
• Homeworks: 18%
• Midterm: 26%
• Final: 32%

Each lab and homework is worth the same grade, and the grades are normalized. Two labs (lab 5 and lab 6) have two parts each. Each part of these labs is worth half as much as a normal lab.

Here are some course policies:

• Per university policy, masks are mandatory in indoors spaces for the first week which includes all the rooms we will use for lectures, labs, and office hours. If you do not put a mask on, I will ask you to leave the room. If you don't do either, then I will cancel the class and you will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct.
• Collaboration is only permitted when specifically allowed for — otherwise, you must do your own work. Read the first page of each lab and homework to see if collaboration is allowed.
• Attendence is not required but highly encouraged.
• You must turn-in your homework before the lecture the day it is due.
• All regrade requests must be done through Gradescope within one week of grading.

Students with disabilities may request academic accommodations for exams online through the UCSB Disabled Students Program. Please make your requests as early in the quarter as possible to ensure proper arrangement.

Overall, the lectures involve an element of participation and pondering. So, I will not be recording any of the lectures (DSP may choose to record it as part of a student's accommodation but they will not share it with the rest of the class).

If you cannot make it to a lecture because of medical reasons (including COVID-19), let me know and I will set up some accommodations other than recording the lecture for you.

Under Title IX, university students are protected from harassment and discrimination based on gender and sex. If a student feels uncomfortable or in need of support at any time related to their gender, sex, and/or sexual orientation, please contact your TA and/or course instructor immediately. If a student would like to disclose information related to pronouns, name changes, or identities, we encourage you to do so. UCSB's Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity on the 3rd floor of the Student Resource Building is also available to advocate and be of and support to students.

You can specify your preferred pronouns on GOLD, these are shown in GauchoSpace. Similarly, you can check others' pronouns when responding to refer to them properly in this class. Remember that it is always okay to use someone's name to avoid using the wrong pronouns for them. For more information, visit http://rcsgd.sa.ucsb.edu/education/pronouns

All students have the right to learn and participate in a classroom environment free of intimidation, harassment, and discrimination based on characteristics such as gender, race, age, sexual orientation, disability, religious or political beliefs and affiliations. I will address any related issues that surface immediately; please help me to cultivate a positive classroom environment by communicating any concerns that you have.

On top of the usual stress factors, switching to in-person education may require some mental adjustment or create additional stress. Personal concerns such as stress, anxiety, relationships, depression, cultural differences, can interfere with the ability of students to succeed and thrive. For helpful resources, please contact UCSB Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) at 805-893-4411 or visit http://counseling.sa.ucsb.edu/.

Honesty and integrity in all academic work is essential for a valuable educational experience. We need to remind you about the university policies regarding academic dishonesty, and to submit your own original work. You can look up the website of Office of Student Conduct for more details on this topic.

An important reminder is that do not put your work on a public repository. There have been cases in the past where some students found and copied other students' code in public repositories on GitHub. Unfortunately, in such situations, it can be tricky figuring out who copied from whom, and whether both parties participated in this willingly. Using version control systems is good software engineering practice, and we encourage it. However, if you are using common source code hosting sites like GitHub and GitLab, they both allow you to create private repositories for free The former allows private repositories at least when you join the UCSB GitHub organization, you will be able to create private repositories in an organization we provide, so you can show your code to the course staff when asking questions., and you should use private repositories for this class.

Furthermore, for general academic support, students are encouraged to visit Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS) early and often. CLAS offers instructional groups, drop-in tutoring, writing and ESL services, skills workshops and one-on-one consultations. CLAS is located on the third floor of the Student Resource Building, or visit http://clas.sa.ucsb.edu

At the time of writing this syllabus, this course is planned to be taught in-person. Besides the opportunities to ask questions in office hours and labs, we will use the following channels:

• The class material will be distributed via the class website.
• Assignments are going to be turned in via Gradescope and GitHub.
• We will use GauchoSpace for asking questions or discussing topics online.

Required textbooks:

• Problem Solving with C++ - Walter Savitch, 9th edition
• Data Structures and Other Objects Using C++ - Michael Main & Walter Savitch, 4th edition
• Operating Systems: Three Easy Pieces by Remzi H. Arpaci-Dusseau and Andrea C. Arpaci-Dusseau - We will use only some chapters, and they are available online. I will link to them in the relevant homework assignments.

Recommended textbooks:

The textbooks in this list are not required but they are useful if you want to deepen your understanding of the material covered in this class.

• Effective modern C++: 42 specific ways to improve your use of C++ 11 and C++ 14 - Scott Meyers
• Software Engineering at Google (freely available to read online)

This syllabus is as accurate as possible, but it may be changed at the instructor's discretion, within the bounds of UC policy.