🗺️ Learning Roadmaps Zero to One

Structured paths from absolute beginner to industry-ready. Pick your destination.

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🎯 The Universal Engineering Path

Phase 1: FOUNDATIONS (Months 1-6)
├── Programming (pick one: Python or C)
├── Data Structures & Algorithms
├── Computer Architecture basics
├── Linux & command line
├── Git & version control
└── One small project (build something)

Phase 2: CORE CS (Months 7-12)
├── Operating Systems
├── Computer Networks
├── Databases
├── Software Engineering principles
├── OOP & Design Patterns
└── Two medium projects

Phase 3: SPECIALIZATION (Months 13-18)
├── Pick a track (embedded / cloud / ML / systems / web)
├── Learn domain-specific tools
├── Contribute to open source
├── Build a portfolio project
└── Start interview prep

Phase 4: INDUSTRY-READY (Months 19-24)
├── System design
├── Advanced DSA
├── Domain expertise (deep)
├── Soft skills (communication, writing)
└── Interview & networking

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🛤️ Track-Specific Roadmaps

Embedded Engineer (0 → Job-Ready)

Month 1-2:  C programming → Digital logic → Arduino projects
Month 3-4:  Microcontrollers (STM32) → UART/SPI/I2C → Interrupts
Month 5-6:  RTOS (FreeRTOS) → Task scheduling → Semaphores/Mutexes
Month 7-8:  Embedded Linux → Yocto basics → Cross-compilation
Month 9-10: Device drivers → DMA → Power management
Month 11-12: Safety standards (MISRA) → Testing → Portfolio project

→ Full details: Embedded Track

Cloud/DevOps Engineer (0 → Job-Ready)

Month 1-2:  Linux → Bash scripting → Networking basics
Month 3-4:  Docker → Docker Compose → CI/CD (GitHub Actions)
Month 5-6:  Kubernetes → Helm → One cloud platform (AWS/GCP)
Month 7-8:  Terraform → Ansible → Infrastructure as Code
Month 9-10: Monitoring (Prometheus/Grafana) → Logging → Alerting
Month 11-12: Security → SRE practices → Portfolio (deploy a real app)

→ Full details: Cloud Track

ML Engineer (0 → Job-Ready)

Month 1-2:  Python → NumPy → Pandas → Statistics
Month 3-4:  Classical ML (sklearn) → Linear/Logistic regression → Trees
Month 5-6:  Deep Learning (PyTorch) → CNNs → Transfer learning
Month 7-8:  NLP or Computer Vision (pick one) → Transformers
Month 9-10: MLOps → Model deployment → Docker → APIs
Month 11-12: GenAI/LLMs → RAG → Portfolio project → Kaggle

→ Full details: ML Track

Full-Stack Developer (0 → Job-Ready)

Month 1-2:  HTML/CSS → JavaScript → Git → Deploy a static site
Month 3-4:  React (or Vue) → State management → API consumption
Month 5-6:  Node.js (or Python/Django) → REST APIs → Databases
Month 7-8:  TypeScript → Authentication → Testing
Month 9-10: Docker → CI/CD → Cloud deployment
Month 11-12: System design → Performance → Portfolio (3 projects)

→ Full details: Web Track · Product Engineering

Systems Programmer (0 → Job-Ready)

Month 1-2:  C → Pointers → Memory management → Makefiles
Month 3-4:  OS concepts (OSTEP) → Processes → Threads → Scheduling
Month 5-6:  Network programming (sockets) → HTTP from scratch
Month 7-8:  Build a shell → Build a malloc → Build a web server
Month 9-10: Compilers (Crafting Interpreters) → Parsing → Codegen
Month 11-12: Distributed systems → Consensus → Portfolio project

→ Full details: Systems Track

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📊 Visual Roadmaps (External)

Roadmap	Link
Developer Roadmap (roadmap.sh)	roadmap.sh
Backend Developer	roadmap.sh/backend
Frontend Developer	roadmap.sh/frontend
DevOps	roadmap.sh/devops
AI/ML	roadmap.sh/ai-data-scientist
System Design	roadmap.sh/system-design
Cyber Security	roadmap.sh/cyber-security
PostgreSQL DBA	roadmap.sh/postgresql-dba

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💡 Meta-Learning: How to Learn Effectively

Technique	What	Resource
Feynman Technique	Explain to teach yourself	YouTube
Spaced Repetition	Review at increasing intervals	Anki
Active Recall	Test yourself, don't re-read	YouTube
Pomodoro	25 min focus + 5 min break	Timer
Learn in Public	Blog, tweet, share what you learn	swyx.io/learn-in-public
Build Projects	Apply immediately	Always
Teach Others	Deepest form of learning	Mentor, blog, YouTube

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Cross-references: Interview Prep · Career Growth · All Tracks