CLA – C Certified Associate Programmer (CLA-11-03) Practice Exam
CLA – C Certified Associate Programmer (CLA-11-03) Practice Exam
CLA – C Certified Associate Programmer (CLA-11-03) Practice Exam
The CLA – C Certified Associate Programmer is an entry-level certification that proves knowledge of the C programming language. It shows that a person understands the basics of C, including programming concepts, data types, operators, functions, and debugging. CRE certification is designed for beginners or aspiring programmers who want to build a strong foundation in one of the most widely used programming languages in the world.
Recognized internationally, the CLA certification helps professionals stand out when applying for jobs or internships in software development, IT, or engineering. It provides evidence of problem-solving skills and the ability to write reliable and efficient C programs. For students and entry-level professionals, earning the CLA is an excellent first step toward advanced programming certifications and long-term career growth in software development.
Who should take the Exam?
This exam is ideal for:
Entry-level programmers starting with C
Computer science students and fresh graduates
Junior software developers
Embedded systems trainees
Quality assurance (QA) interns
Technical support associates in software teams
IT helpdesk staff aiming to move into programming
Anyone wanting to begin a career in coding
Skills Required
Basic computer operation knowledge
Logical thinking and problem-solving mindset
Interest in learning programming concepts
Patience to debug and test code
Attention to detail and accuracy
Willingness to practice coding regularly
Knowledge Gained
Core syntax and structure of C language
Writing and compiling basic C programs
Understanding variables, data types, and operators
Using loops, conditions, and functions
Basics of arrays and pointers
Debugging and testing code
Understanding how programs interact with memory and hardware
Course Outline
The CLA - C Certified Associate Programmer Exam covers the following topics -
Module 1 - Absolute basics
Languages: natural and artificial,
Machine languages,
High-level programming languages,
Obtaining the machine code: compilation process,
Writing simple programs,
Variables,
Integer values in real life and in c,
Integer literals.
Module 2 - Data types
Floating point values in real life and in C,
Float literals,
Arithmetic operators,
Priority and binding,
Post- and pre-incrementation and decrementation,
Operators of type op=,
Char type and ASCII code,
Char literals,
Equivalence of int and char data,
Comparison operators,
Conditional execution and if keyword,
Printf() and scanf() functions.
Module 3 - Flow control
Conditional execution: the “else” branch
Integer and float types
Conversions
Typecast and its operators
Loops – while, do and for
Controlling the loop execution – break and continue
Logical and bitwise operators
Module 4 - Arrays
Switch: different faces of ‘if’
Arrays (vectors)
Sorting in real life and in a computer memory
Initiators
Pointers
An address, a reference, a dereference and the sizeof operator
Simple pointer and pointer to nothing (null)
& operator
Pointers arithmetic
Pointers vs. Arrays: different forms of the same phenomenon
Using strings
Basic functions dedicated to string manipulation
Module 5 - Memory management and structures
Array indexing
The usage of pointers: perils and disadvantages
Void type
Arrays of arrays and multidimensional arrays
Memory allocation and deallocation: malloc() and free() functions
Arrays of pointers vs. Multidimensional arrays
Structures
Declaring, using and initializing structures
Pointers to structures and arrays of structures
Basics of recursive data collections
Module 6 - about Functions
Functions
How to declare, define and invoke a function
Variables’ scope, local variables and function parameters
Pointers, arrays and structures as function parameters
Function result and return statement
Void as a parameter, pointer and result
Parameterizing the main function
External function and the extern declarator
Header files and their role
Module 7 - Files and streams
Files vs. Streams
Header files needed for stream operations
File structure
Opening and closing a stream, open modes, errno variable
Reading and writing to/from a stream
Predefined streams: stdin, stdout and stderr
Stream manipulation: fgetc(), fputc(), fgets() and fputs() functions
Raw input/output: fread() and fwrite() functions
Module 8 - Preprocessor and complex declarations
Preprocessor
#include: how to make use of a header file
#define: simple and parameterized macros
#undef directive
Predefined preprocessor symbols
Macrooperators: # and ##
Conditional compilation: #if and #ifdef directives
Avoiding multiple compilations of the same header files