Updated April 17, 2023
Introduction to C
C language is one of the most popular high-level programming languages, which Dennis Ritchie initially developed for the Unix OS.
C is often the first programming language learned by students. Learning C forms the base for other popular programming languages such as C++ or C#. Even now, C remains the 11th most popularly used language in the world. Moreover, C opens the door for developer jobs – the average base salary of a C developer is $93,987 per year.
The C programming language was first used on a Digital Equipment Corporation computer called PDP–11 in 1972. It is a procedural programming language whose primary purpose is to be used as a system’s programming language to write an operating system. Many popular operating systems, such as the Unix operating system and all Unix-related applications, are written in the C language.
Table of Contents
- Introduction to C
- Basics of C
- Features of C
- Applications of C
- Advantages and Disadvantages of C
- Final Thoughts
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Recommended Articles
Key Highlights
- C is a high-level, procedural programming language used to develop system software, application software, and embedded systems.
- C is a compiled language, highly extensible, platform independent, and provides direct access to system resources and memory management capabilities.
- It is used to develop operating systems, device drivers, games, database systems, and more.
- C is highly efficient, portable, and widely used. It also provides low-level memory access and has an extensive library of functions.
- If not used properly, c can be prone to security vulnerabilities, and pointer management can get confusing.
C Language Basics
- It is among the most popular languages among developers as it is easy to learn, produces efficient programs, is a structured language, can handle low-level activities, and can be compiled on various computers.
- C language has B language as its primary parent language, which was developed in the 1970s.
- The ANSI ( American National Standard Institute ) formalized this language as an official programming language in 1988.
- It is the most popular choice for system-friendly programming languages.
- The main reason for using C language as the system-specific programming language is its high speed and efficiency, which is close to the assembly language.
- C allows the development of state-of-art software.
- C programs have an extension of .c after the filename.
Characteristics and Features of C
- Procedural Programming: C follows a step-by-step approach to solving a problem or performing a task.
- High-Level Language: C provides abstracted programming concepts that allow developers to focus on the logic of their programs rather than low-level details.
- Compiled Language: C source code compiles into machine code before execution.
- Efficient: C provides direct access to system resources and memory management capabilities.
- Platform Independent: C compiles to run on various platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS.
- Extensible: C allows developers to write libraries and extend the language’s functionality.
- Widely Used: C is one of the most commonly used programming languages and has been the basis for many other languages.
Applications of C
|
Application |
Definition |
|
Operating systems |
C language’s flexibility and versatility make it suitable for the efficient development of operating systems. |
|
Microcontrollers |
C compiler directly converts code into machine language, allowing maximum control with a minimal set of commands, making it a good choice for microcontrollers. |
|
Scientific systems |
C allows the building and creation of many scientific systems. |
|
Assemblers |
C can create assemblers that are put to use to execute machine-level hardware-specific systems. |
|
Text Editors |
C can create lightweight text editors. |
|
Print spoolers |
C develops the software program responsible for sending jobs to the printer once the command fires. |
|
Network drivers |
C can create network drivers responsible for accessing the internet and running WIFI and other kinds of drivers. |
|
Modern programs |
C can develop modern programs requiring less memory and work closer to hardware communication. |
| Databases |
C creates software to store a massive amount of data. |
|
Language interpreters |
C develops software responsible for changing language types from high-level to machine-level language. |
| Utilities |
C helps develop various command and program system-specific utilities. |
Advantages and Disadvantages of C
Given below are the advantages and disadvantages of C:
|
Advantages of C |
Disadvantages of C |
|
Building block for major programming languages |
Devoid of OOPS concept |
|
Fast and efficient language |
No strict type checking |
|
Highly portable and interoperable |
No checks for runtime |
|
Rich set of built-in and user-defined functions |
No provision for having a namespace |
|
Extendable with library functions |
No concept of a constructor and destructor |
Final Thoughts
Learning the C programming language can be an excellent asset for anyone interested in software development or computer science. As a founding language, C has inspired several contemporary programming languages and is still widely utilized in several applications today. It is beneficial for creating low-level software, such as operating systems and device drivers, because of its focus on efficiency and control. By mastering the concepts and syntax of C programming, one can gain valuable skills that will serve well throughout one’s career in software development.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the introduction of C?
Answer: C is a high-level, general-purpose programming language developed in the 1970s by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labs. It was designed to be a portable and efficient language used for system programming and developing applications.
Q: What is C, the basic concept?
Answer:
- C’s basic concepts include variables, data types, control structures, functions, arrays, and pointers. Variables store data, while data types define the type of data that can be stored in a variable.
- Control structures include if-else statements, loops, and switch-case statements.
- Functions are reusable blocks of code that can be called from other program parts.
- Arrays store a collection of values of the same data type, while pointers store a variable’s memory address.
Q: What is C language, and explain?
Answer: C is a structured, procedural programming language that allows developers to write efficient and portable code. It has a simple syntax and a small set of keywords, making it easy to learn and use. With its simple syntax and a small set of keywords, C is relatively easy to learn and use.
Q: What is C language for?
Answer: C is used for various applications, such as developing operating systems, device drivers, embedded systems, gaming, scientific computing, and high-performance applications. It is also used in the development of programming languages and compilers. C’s low-level features and efficient code make it an ideal language for system programming and developing high-performance applications.
Recommended Articles
This article is an EDUCBA introduction to C. You can view EDUCBA’s recommended articles for more information:
