Cheat sheet · Foundations
University to job-ready cheat sheet (Final year or graduated)
Opens with creditsFor final year students and recent graduates who need to be job-ready fast: the CS fundamentals hiring processes test, a flagship project you can defend, and a steady application rhythm. Revise the core chapters first, then work through applications.
Curated by Tauseef Fayyaz9 chapters69 concepts165 glossary termsChapters
9 chapters · 69 concepts
1Programming and object-oriented designThe ideas behind writing programs that are organised, reusable and easy to change. Every language you use at work builds on them.8 concepts
- 1Classes and objectsA class is a blueprint that bundles data (fields) with behaviour (methods).
- 2EncapsulationEncapsulation hides an object's internal state and exposes only methods that keep it valid, using
privatefields or naming conventions like a leading… - 3InheritanceInheritance lets a subclass reuse and extend a parent class, forming an "is a" relationship, such as
SavingsAccountextendingBankAccount. - 4PolymorphismPolymorphism means one interface, many implementations: calling
shape.area()runs the right method for a circle or a square. - 5Abstraction, interfaces and abstract classesAbstraction exposes what something does and hides how.
- 6Composition over inheritanceComposition builds behaviour by holding other objects ("has a") instead of inheriting from them ("is a").
- 7SOLID principlesFive design guidelines: single responsibility, open for extension but closed for modification, Liskov substitution, interface segregation and dependency…
- 8Exceptions and error handlingAn exception signals that something went wrong, such as a missing file.
8 in this chapterOpen this chapter2Software engineering practice and GitHow professional teams write, track, test and review code. Your GitHub history is the first evidence of these habits anyone sees.8 concepts
- 1Commits and commit messagesA commit is a saved snapshot of your project with a message.
- 2Branches and pull requestsA branch is an independent line of work.
- 3Merging, conflicts and rebase
git mergecombines branches with a merge commit. - 4Undoing mistakes in Git
git restorediscards file edits,git commit --amendfixes the last local commit,git revertundoes a pushed commit with a new one, andgit reflogfinds… - 5Unit and integration testsUnit tests check one function or class in isolation.
- 6Code reviewCode review is another engineer reading a change before it merges, checking correctness, readability, tests and design, and leaving comments the author responds…
- 7DebuggingDebugging is finding why code behaves wrongly: read the error and stack trace, reproduce the bug reliably, form a guess, and check it with a debugger…
- 8SDLC and AgileThe software development life cycle covers requirements, design, build, test, release and maintenance.
8 in this chapterOpen this chapter- Data structures and algorithmsThe building blocks coding rounds and online assessments are built on. Learn each structure by what it is fast at, and practise a little every week.10 conceptsOpens with credits
- Database management systemsHow data is structured, queried and kept correct. Almost every project and backend role uses a database, and SQL questions are common in assessments.6 conceptsOpens with credits
- Operating systemsWhat happens between your program and the hardware. These concepts explain slow programs, concurrency bugs and crashes.6 conceptsOpens with credits
- Computer networks and the webHow data moves between machines and how a web request works end to end. Every web, mobile and cloud role relies on this.7 conceptsOpens with credits
- Projects and portfolioFinished, deployed and documented projects are the strongest evidence of skill a student can show. Fewer, better projects beat many half-built ones.7 conceptsOpens with credits
- Choosing a direction and going deeperEmployers hire for roles, not for "any software". Pick one direction for now, learn its main framework properly and know the basics of how systems scale.6 conceptsOpens with credits
- Resume, network and the hiring processHow applications work, what each hiring stage checks, and the habits that turn applications into offers over time.11 conceptsOpens with credits
- 10Glossary, A to ZEvery concept in the sheet and the smaller terms it uses, in one list.165 terms
About this sheet
Semester by semester plan for CS students.
Related on Sefism
Picked from the other libraries by shared topics.
Roadmaps
See allBest practices
See all- Engineering Career Growth Best PracticesCareer growth best practices for engineers: read your ladder, grow scope and impact, own outcomes, work with your manager, use feedback, build promotion evidence, pick a staff or manager path.
- Technical Writing Best Practices for EngineersTechnical writing best practices for developers: write for your audience, clear sentences, scannable structure, design docs, READMEs and docs, PR descriptions, async updates and blog posts.
- How to Learn a New Programming Language or FrameworkBest practices for learning a new language or framework fast: set a goal, start with official docs, build small projects, practise deliberately, use spacing, read real code, learn with AI wisely.
Checklists
See all- Career Switch into Tech ChecklistMove into software from another field step by step: choose a direction, follow a learning plan, build proof of skill, use your previous domain, network, plan your runway and target a first role.
- LinkedIn Profile Checklist for DevelopersCheck your LinkedIn profile section by section: photo, headline, About, Experience, Featured, Skills, custom URL, Open to Work, posting and privacy.
- First 90 Days in a New Developer Job: ChecklistWhat to do before day one, in week one and by day 30, 60 and 90 in a new developer job: setup, codebase, first PR, your manager, questions and feedback.
Career questions
See all- How do I negotiate my salary when switching to a new developer job?Research a realistic range, avoid naming a number too early, let the employer make the first offer where you can, then counter once with a specific figure backed by your scope and the market. Look at the whole package, and for remote dollar roles compare the real take-home after fees, taxes and missing benefits.
- Everyone around me has internships, GitHub projects and achievements, and I have almost nothing. What should I do?Stop comparing your starting point with other people's highlights and start producing evidence of your own. In the next three months you can build one solid project, one smaller one, a clean GitHub and LinkedIn, and a targeted internship pipeline. That is enough to change your position.
- I wasted the first few years of my degree. What can I realistically accomplish before graduation?More than you think, if you stop spending energy on regret and pick a narrow goal. With six to twelve months left you can build solid fundamentals in one stack, finish one strong project, possibly land an internship and graduate with a real job search already running. The key is focus, not intensity.
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