THE CONTENTS

The 42 curriculum caters to students of all profiles, offering the best computer science education at a personalized pace.

THE STUDY PATH

THE EDUCATION PROCESS

The training at 42 Le Havre has a total indicative duration of 3 to 5 years, depending on the goals and personal progress.It is divided into two main phases:

Spanning six months to two years, depending on individual pace, the Common Core covers programming fundamentals (C and Python), software development using classic algorithms, and an introduction to the core concepts of artificial intelligence (data manipulation and automation). It also includes a basic introduction to network architecture and system administration. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) is also part of the curriculum, alongside a client-server project and the fundamentals of web development. Beyond technical expertise, students are encouraged to develop the soft skills essential for successfully integrating into the professional world.

This section covers the traditional areas of digital technology and programming, such as artificial intelligence, security, and mobile application development. It emphasizes group project work and collaboration, as well as neutrality towards brands, technologies, and languages, in order to develop our students’ adaptability and prevent their obsolescence in the job market in 5 or 10 years. The choice of study areas is free and provides complementary skills in various expertise areas. Students themselves decide when to stop their course and become alumni.

The proposed specializations are as follows:

  • Cybersecurity
  • Systems Architecture
  • Systems and Software Development
  • Mobile Development
  • Video Games and Graphics
  • Web Development
  • Artificial Intelligence and Data

This second part can be done in either an initial, with internship periods or alternating format.

IN PRACTICE

PROJECT EXAMPLES

FT_TRANSCENDENCE

For the ultimate Common Core project, the bar is set high! With ft_transcendence, you are invited to design, develop, and structure a full-stack web application, giving free rein to your imagination. From the initial concept to critical technical choices modules, architecture everything is in your hands. This ambitious and flexible project offers a deep dive into modern web development, allowing you to showcase both your technical expertise and your creativity through a modular approach. This is the final milestone to validate before unlocking internships and specializations.

RT

Ray tracing is a method for rendering images on a computer. It simulates the path of light: it seeks out the light sources in the scene to be displayed, determines which objects are illuminated, and based on the viewing angle, calculates which light particles are supposed to reach the screen. It demands a significant amount of computational power and has only become popular recently with certain high-budget video games due to advancements in graphics card technology. To achieve this, it is necessary to apply scientific formulas and integrate them. However, it’s important to note that this isn’t about doing mathematics or physics; the goal of this project is quite the opposite. To program ray tracing, you don’t need to know how to prove a theorem!

FAMINE, PESTILENCE, WAR AND DEATH

Learning to code a virus is about learning computer science through cunning. Through four dedicated projects, each offering a new technique, the goal is to discover how such programs work through hands-on practice. While the initial purpose may be just to leave a trace of one’s presence, the final virus must be capable of hiding itself and even modifying its source code. It’s important to emphasize that these viruses are created for educational purposes, and precautions are required during their creation and evaluation. Making them available or using them outside of this educational context can result in disciplinary actions, including potential expulsion from 42.

FLY-IN

Fly-in challenges you to design a routing system capable of guiding multiple autonomous drones from a central base to a destination across a dynamic network. You will need to develop a pathfinding algorithm that handles simultaneous movements, restricted zones, travel costs, and conflict resolution. Parsing complex map files, applying Object-Oriented Programming principles, and optimizing performance are at the core of this Python project, which dives deep into graph algorithms and realistic constraint management for a true technical and strategic challenge.

COREWAR

Core War is a programming competition invented by D. G. Jones and A. K. Dewdney. The goal is to pit programs, known as “champions,” against each other to gain control of a virtual arena. In the corewar project, the challenge is not to learn new concepts or a new language but to recreate both champions and the arena that serves as the competition ground. The difficulty lies in designing efficient champions that can outperform others in this unique virtual battlefield. The best champions created by students are often invited to participate in a friendly tournament during a dedicated event, showcasing their programming skills in this unconventional competition.

FT_TURING

The Turing machine is a mathematical concept invented by Alan Turing in 1936. It can be thought of as an infinite tape divided into cells, with a read/write head that can move along the tape, change the symbols in the cells (e.g., from 1 to 0), skip cells, and move backward. In the “ft_turing” project, the goal is to create such a Turing machine and encode various algorithms into it. This project not only teaches the principles of computation but also provides insights into the culture and history of programming, particularly in the early 20th century. It’s worth noting that before starting this project, participants must complete and pass a specific “Piscine” dedicated to the programming language used, which is OCaml in this case. Even after the selection tests, additional “Piscines” are offered to help participants quickly learn specific concepts or languages.

PAC-MAN

Pac-Man made history by popularizing power-ups and pioneering video game AI. This project invites you to recreate this legend, featuring a clean structure and a deployment-ready build. It allows you to focus on a modular, object-oriented Python architecture while mastering the challenges of real-world “product” development. Beyond simple rendering, you will need to integrate an external maze generator and program autonomous ghost behaviors. Finally you will have to implement a flexible configuration system and deploying to a public platform (such as Steam or Itch.io) to turn your code into a complete game, playable by everyone.

MATCHA

This project involves creating an online dating website with several key features. First, it’s necessary to manage individual profiles, including personal descriptions, interests, and photos. Next, users should be able to browse other people’s profiles and contact them. Finally, the project’s name comes from its core functionality: it should be able to find compatible relationships or “matches” among the registered members of the site. Ensuring the security of user data is of utmost importance in this project. It can be implemented using the technology of your choice and is accessible after completing an introductory “Piscine” for a new programming language, such as Python, Ruby, or PHP. This project combines web development and database management with the goal of creating a functional and secure online dating platform.

MULTILAYER PERCEPTRON

Modern applications of computer science can be found everywhere, including in the field of healthcare. Artificial neural networks, in particular, are programs capable of learning from extensive datasets. The purpose of this project is to introduce individuals to such networks and implement algorithms within them. Specifically, it involves detecting whether breast cancer is malignant or benign through breast cancer diagnostics conducted in Wisconsin. This project was proposed by the student association specializing in machine learning: 42AI. It has been approved by the educational teams and is now available to all. It offers a practical application of machine learning techniques in a critical domain such as healthcare.

FT_MINECRAFT

As the best-selling video game of all time, Minecraft defined the sandbox genre by offering absolute creative freedom within an infinite world. This project challenges you to push technical boundaries further by crafting a vast, persistent, and visually stunning universe. It is no longer just about rendering cubes; you must master advanced procedural generation featuring diverse biomes, realistic cave systems, and ores while implementing modern rendering effects like shadows and Screen-Space Ambient Occlusion. Beyond ensuring flawless performance, you will need to build a network architecture to enable multiplayer, because building and exploring is simply more fun with friends. This is the ultimate step in transforming a graphics engine into a truly immersive gaming experience.

WHAT 42 PROVIDES

THE SKILLS

Imperative programming
C
Functional programming
Lisp
OCaml
Rust
Object-oriented programing
C++
C#
Développement mobile
Java
Python
Swift
Algorithms and AI
Generic algorithms
Deep learning
Machine learning
Graphs
Neural networks
Prompt Engineering
Structured Data Generation
Retrieval-Augmented Generation
Graphic Programming
Image computation
Metal
OpenGL
Unity
Unreal
Engine
Vulkan

System programming
Low level
Kernel
Posix
Embedded systems
UNIX
System and network administration
System administration
Network architecture
Cloud
DevOps
Docker
Continous integration
Kubernetes
LAN and WAN addressing plan
Services réseau
Virtualization
Security
Packet analysis
Man-In-The-Middle attack
Countermeasures
Exploits
Pare-feux
Rootkits
Backups
Trojans
IP address spoof
Virus
Data and databases
Data lake
Data mining
MySQL
NoSQL
Oracle
PostgreSQL
SQL
Data structure
Data visualization
Parallel programming
Cuda
Mutexes
OpenCL
Programmation concurrente
Programmation GPU
Sémaphores
Threads

Adaptation and creativity
Innovation
Pensée latérale
Web
Back development
Full stack development
Django
Frameworks
Node
Rails
React
Symfony
Technological Intergration
Complex environments
Heterogeneous environments
Company projects

Rigor
Code style
Regression testing
Organisation
Personal organization
Project management
Professional experience
Interships
Apprenticeships (en option)
Group and interpersonal
Group management
Communication

Exclusively in Le Havre

Bonus of 42 Le Havre

Beyond technical skills, our campus places great importance on developing our students’ soft skills. Communication, teamwork, project management, and adaptability are at the heart of our teaching. We train digital professionals who are not only experts in their field, but also capable of integrating and evolving with agility in the world of work.

Support in finding an internship and work-study program

HR Coaching

We help students optimize their internship and work-study searches with personalized support from human resources professionals. From creating a compelling resume to an attractive LinkedIn profile and mock interviews, our goal is to give them everything they need to stand out in the job market.

Additional content

Project Management Coaching

Because technical proficiency isn’t enough, we support our students in developing their project management skills. Through dedicated coaching, they learn to organize, manage, and successfully complete their projects as a team. Planning, agile methodologies, priority management, and decision-making are all assets that will make them well-rounded and effective digital professionals.

Certifications recognized by professionals

CISCO ACADEMY

Our students have access to additional content through the CISCO Academy, offering them the opportunity to earn skills badges and prepare for recognized certifications. They can learn the fundamentals of cybersecurity (CCST Cybersecurity), networks (CCST Network), and strengthen their programming skills with Python and JavaScript. Technical English training (English for IT) is also available to help them advance in the digital sector. These programs complement the 42 curriculum and maximize the employability of our students.

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