Hello mate!
I love your idea and it is something that would be really helpful to the community: a minimal bitcoin client that could be used for pedagogical purposes to better understand.
I don't want to discourage you but it will be really hard, believe me.
You will need to master the C++ Standard Template Library. Without good knowledge of it you will find it impossible to read the main part of the code even if your C++ is quite ok.
I recommend you, for that matter these books:
To get to grips with STL:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/STL-C-Programmers-Computer-Science/dp/0471971812and
http://www.amazon.co.uk/STL-Programming-Ground-Herbert-Schildt/dp/0078825075To get better with C++ I think you should go with this one:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Without-Fear-Barnes-Noble-Special/dp/013429968XThis may also help you:
Satoshi's Original Bitcoin Client - An Operational View
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/satoshi-client-operation-overview-41718I mean it can help you a bit, not too much
The best help you can get is of course from the core developers.
You can always ask them questions at IRC #bitcoin-dev
and on the developer section of this forum.
Just be careful with the n00b questions. Be wise! Their time is precious, sure. And you will not want to be wasting their time, of course.
They are quite friendly and always keen to help serious guys, that are genuinely interested in learning about the bitcoin protocol and source code.
You will have to work really really hard, and it won't be easy at all to bring something cool. But is possible. It is possible
Very, very hard, but possible
Read the bitcoin protocol documentation at
www.bitcoin.org and the wiki pages.
To get started with understanding bitcoin I keep recommending:
Watching
5 times - jotting notes - until tou undertsand it 100% the youtube video:
"United Colors of Bitcoin"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6sOFXHlhuEand
then
watching 3 times - also jotting notes - until you understand it 100%
"How Bitcoin Works Under the Hood"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lx9zgZCMqXE To introduce someone to bitcoin in a very relaxed way, my favorite video is this:
Bitcoin | LIVE from the NYPL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR2pbJ_sYK8Gavin was super eloquent, as always
Quite a good panel and conversation.