One feature that makes Exam 01 truly unique to 42 is the Moulinette (the automated grading system) is compiled with fsanitize=address for memory leaks. In most coding exams, if your program leaks memory but returns the correct value, you might pass. Not here.

Exclusive Rule: If you allocate memory with malloc and forget to free it, even if the output is correct, the exam grades you as a failure for that exercise. Leaks are considered crashes. This forces Piscine students to rigorously pair free() with every malloc() from day one.

Exam 01 is the first formal evaluation many 42-network campuses use to assess newcomers after the initial intensive Piscine (the immersive, project-driven bootcamp). It’s designed to test fundamental problem-solving, autonomy, and the ability to learn by doing — the core principles of the 42 pedagogy. The exam typically follows several weeks of collaborative projects and pair programming exercises and converts that raw experience into a timed, individual challenge.

Prototype: void ft_putstr(char *str);

Purpose: Write a function that displays a string of characters to the standard output (your terminal).

The Exclusive Rule: You are NOT allowed to use printf. You are barely allowed to use write. Your solution must use the system call write from the <unistd.h> library.

Naive solution (incorrect for exam):

void ft_putstr(char *str)
printf("%s", str); // FAIL – forbidden function

Correct solution:

#include <unistd.h>

void ft_putstr(char *str)
int i = 0;
while (str[i])
write(1, &str[i], 1);
i++;

The exclusive trap: Many students forget to include <unistd.h> or accidentally use printf for debugging and leave it in the final submission. Moulinette will catch this and mark the exercise as "cheating" (score 0).

The "exam 01 piscine 42 exclusive" is more than a test; it is a rite of passage. It excludes all the crutches of modern development (debuggers, intellisense, Google) to refocus on the fundamentals: logic, syntax, and discipline.

For those currently in the Piscine: Do not fear the exclusivity. Embrace it. Practice ft_atoi until your fingers bleed. Write free() the moment you write malloc(). Memorize the Norm. When you finally see that 100% on Renderium, you will understand why 42 graduates are some of the most sought-after engineers in the world.

Remember: The pool is cold, but those who pass Exam 01 learn how to swim in the deep end—exclusively.

Are you preparing for the 42 Piscine? Focus on the exclusive rules: Norminette, memory leaks, and linear progression. Those three pillars are the key to unlocking Exam 01.

Disclaimer: This guide is based on the historical structure of Exam 01. 42 updates exams periodically, but the core logic remains the same. This guide assumes you are doing the Piscine (not the regular curriculum).

Do not write code during the exam that you haven't mentally checked against the Norm. Practice writing functions that are exactly 25 lines long. Use while loops exclusively. Your biggest enemy is not logic; it is a misplaced curly brace that the Norminette flags.