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Build a Shopping List Manager Using C++ Linked Lists

PROJECT

Build a Shopping List Manager Using C++ Linked Lists

In this project, we’ll build a C++ shopping list manager to create and manipulate a linked list, handle user input, and persist data to a file while learning dynamic memory, pointers, and file I/O.

You will learn to:

Define and work with a linked list to store data.

Create and manipulate dynamic nodes using pointers.

Implement functions for adding, removing, and updating items.

Persist data by saving to and loading from files.

Traverse and search linked lists efficiently.

Use terminal commands to compile and run C++ programs.

Skills

Programming Language

Data Structures

Web Development

Prerequisites

Hands-on experience using a terminal to compile and run programs

Basic understanding of C++ syntax and functions

Familiarity with variables, loops, and conditionals

Technology

C++

Project Description

In this project, we’ll build a command-line shopping list manager in C++.

We use a linked list to store shopping items, track categories, mark items as purchased, delete entries, and persist the list to disk. The project introduces core C++ concepts such as dynamic memory allocation, pointers, and file I/O through building a CLI-based application. The program is structured modularly, with separate functions for each operation, input validation, and clear ownership of the linked list state.

By the end, the project demonstrates how a basic data structure supports state management in a real-world-style CLI tool.

Project Tasks

Introduction

Task 0: Get Started

Task 1: Define the Shopping Item Node

Building the Core of Linked List

Task 2: Create and Initialize a New Item Node

Task 3: Maintain a Linked List

Managing and Displaying the Shopping List

Task 4: Validate Category Input

Task 5: Add Items to the List

Task 6: Display the Shopping List

Task 7: Mark an Item as Purchased

Task 8: Display Only Needed Items

Task 9: Remove an Item from the List

Saving and Loading Data

Task 10: Save the List to a File

Task 11: Load the List from a File

Congratulations!

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"This was an excellent lesson. I learned a lot working through the process. I enjoyed it so much that I rebuilt it my AWS account to see how hard it would be to deploy to a production environment."

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Senior Software Engineer

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