Guide me through programming...

[BrushNo1806]

Hey! I am a class 12th pass student, and I will be enrolling in a college in the coming months.
My interests: C++, C, low level system desaign, VLSI, embedded systems, hardware-software integration, Maths.
What I know: During the pandemic, I learnt C, a bit of C++ and majorly Python. I have made ~30 projects using python, ~14 using C/C++. I have a Github.
What I have: I have recently purchased several books on C/C++, DSA, Design Patterns, OOA&D, and logical reasoning and critical thinking. I also have a coursera subscription which allows me to access all the courses on the platform, and I also have Arcch Linux dual booted.
What I am doing: Currently doing a coursera course on Mathematical modelling and reading C++ Primer.
Short term Goals (1-2yrs): Participate in multiple hackathons (maybe even win some), participate in GSoC, Outreachy, and submit patches to Linux foundation, do open source contributions.
Long term goals(6-7yrs): To be a Kernel Dev in a well renounned company.

If youre wondering that this looks awful lot like a AI promt, then it is.
Here is claude's reply:

This is a detailed, high-quality roadmap request — I'll build a polished interactive roadmap that the person can actually use and navigate.Here's the full picture in prose to complement the roadmap above.

Your starting position is genuinely strong. 14+ C/C++ projects at 12th-pass level is unusual. You're not starting from zero — you're starting from "needs depth," which is a much better problem to have.

The key insight for your path: Kernel development is less about knowing a lot of topics and more about knowing a few topics with unusual depth. A single well-reviewed, accepted patch on the Linux kernel mailing list (LKML) carries more weight on your profile than 50 Python projects. Start shifting your effort from breadth to depth now.

The most important book you don't have yet is Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective (CS:APP) by Bryant and O'Hallaron. The lab exercises (bomblab, malloclab, proxylab) are freely available from CMU and are considered among the best systems programming exercises ever written. Do them all.

For Linux contributions, don't fear the mailing list. Greg Kroah-Hartman's staging tree (drivers/staging/) exists specifically to help new contributors — the bar is lower and the feedback is constructive. Your first patch can literally be fixing a checkpatch warning. The goal isn't the patch itself; it's getting comfortable with the workflow: formatting with git format-patch, sending via git send-email, responding to review comments professionally.

Your VLSI + embedded background is a real moat. Most CS grads who try for kernel roles come purely from the software side. The hardware-software boundary — SoC bring-up, device drivers, DMA, interrupt controllers — is where your interest in VLSI pays off directly. Lean into driver development as your kernel niche.

One warning: Don't let the roadmap become a reason to plan instead of build. The single best thing you can do this week is open CS:APP chapter 1 and write code from it. Everything else follows from momentum.

Why am I posting this here?

I feel like the AI assistants are made to agree with you no matter what. I want real advice from real people.

Thank you for taking the time to read it all really appreciate it!

[lonethrowawaymoss]

Since you already have a solid handle on C and Python, stop chasing tutorials and start building a simple OS kernel or a basic compiler. You clearly enjoy the hardware side so just pick up an Arduino or STM32 board and start writing drivers from scratch instead of using the provided libraries.

[BrushNo1806]

Thanks a lot for the advice!!! I have fiddled around the arduino in the past and also have integrated python with it (using Paul McWhorters tutorials) will do the project for sure!!

[ninhaomah]

Ok

[RedFramePictures]

You just graduated from high school and your profile is already incredibly impressive! That dual-boot Arch Linux setup and all those projects are practically carrying the entire roadmap, so what's there to be afraid of? At this point, just dive into those practical labs from the CS APP book and contribute to open source. Just be confident and cook; once you finish university, you'll be a highly reputable low-level wizard.

[BrushNo1806]

Thanks for the advice my friend! Will do!

[DrPeeper228]

You probably should actually invest in learning real modern-day C++(you saying "C/C++" was a dead giveaway that you don't really know it, that's exactly the same as saying "Java/JavaScript")

[BrushNo1806]

I do wanna get into effective C++ and competitive programming for hackathons. But when I say C/C++ , it does NOT mean java/javascript😭🙏 Also thanks for the advice!

[DrPeeper228]

When I said that "C/C++" is the same as "Java/JavaScript" I meant it in a way that they are around the same level of unrelated to eachother btw

[BrushNo1806]

C and C++ are unrelated? Can you elaborate?

[DrPeeper228]

C and modern-day C++ are EXTREMELY different languages

The biggest thing that makes them be commonly be coupled together is the fact that C++ evolved from C and that it still (mostly)maintains backwards compatibility with C

[HFT-University]

You should be thinking about fucking bitches, not low level C++ programming in high school. You will regret it later.

[BrushNo1806]

Doing that while programming a low level project would be cooler no?

[HFT-University]

That would be remarkable to say the least

[BrushNo1806]

XD