Quick Overview of C Programming
C is known as ANSI C or ISO C. If you are new to programming, you might wonder what a programming language is. A programming language is a language designed to convey ideas to a computer.
A programming language like C tells the computer what to do. In this research paper, we will have a quick overview of C, followed by its history. Then we will go over the benefits and downsides of programming in C. Followed by the popularity of C, which uses C today, why you should learn C. To sum up, we will end with a quick summary of critical points.
C programming language explained.
C is a general-purpose language used to create a host of programs and aid in developing software. Even though it was first developed in 1973, it is still popular and is still used today. With that in mind, programmers use C to write code for a variety of purposes. Some examples of C implementation include games and applications. With this in mind, Software engineers use C in operating systems to embedded systems in supercomputers. C has an implementation in kernels in operating systems such as Windows, Mac, and Linux. Even the python interpreter uses C.
C has features centered around being reliable, portable, flexible, and being efficient. C language is a middle-level language that bridges the gap between machine-level and high-level languages. Examples of low-level languages include assembly language. With this in mind, High-level language examples include Java and python.
History of C programming language
Dennis Ritchie first developed the C programming language. Dennis Ritchie developed the language between 1969 and 1972 in Bell Labs of AT&T. As a result, some programmers consider Dennis Ritchie to be the founder of the language. Dennis intentioned to redesign UNIX. Dennis felt that the B language, which was the standard for UNIX, had drawbacks. For example, these drawbacks included not having features such as data types and structure. The programming language’s creation involved using BCPL and ALGOL. It is no surprise that C contains all the features of those languages in addition to new features.
Earlier versions of C include K&R C. In 1978, K&R introduced a standard library for C. The C programming language is also known as ANSI C because the American National Standard Institute(ANSI) published the language. The International Organization for Standardization(ISO) also helps publish the language. This explains why it is also referred to as ISO C. In 1983 the American National standards institute first formed a committee to define the C language. In 1990 ANSI C became standardized to ISO 9899. From development, C has gone on to influence a large variety of languages. Mainly, these languages include Python, C#, PHP and, ASP to name a few.
The benefits and Downsides of C
Here we will go over why C is popular and the benefits to programming in C. An example, being arithmetic and logic operators are available, including many others. In addition, Operating systems, assemblers, text editors programs, databases, and Language interpreters utilize the programming language. Another benefit of the C language includes built-in functions, efficiency, fast, and easy compilation. C is very portable because it will compile and execute on any operating system like Windows and Unix. The C language is a general-purpose language that can help design graphics, game design, and much more. C can help manage memory allocation, and it is one of its key features. Furthermore, C allows the computer programmer to code directly to memory.
Some consider C to be a middle-level language that combines the advantages of both low level and high-level languages. In contrast, low-level programming includes driver and kernel management. At the same time, high-level language is easier to read and understand. C has advantages in both high and low-level language.
The language includes 32 keywords with many built-in functions to help design a program. These keywords include control flow structures such as if, else, for, and while. Other benefits of the language have a vast library that can provide built-in functions. When used in algorithms and data structures, C can provide faster computations. This is the reason why Mathematica and Matlab utilize C. Other programming languages like Java uses C as a foundation. Like other programming languages, C supports data types and control structures. Other features include but are not limited to labels, arrays, functions, variables, and unions. C is still widely used today, and there are many jobs available for developers that specialize in C. Learning C can aid in learning other languages that have syntax and features used in C.
C provides a structure to break down programming problems into smaller, more manageable pieces. These pieces are usually in the form of functions, and these functions aid in recycling code. Furthermore, C has a library that includes many functions and data types. As a machine-independent language, C is very portable to many platforms. This includes other machines outside of computers, including microwaves and appliances.
C is a compiled language. This means that it converts human-readable code into machine-only readable code. The advantage of being a compiled language is faster execution compared to interpreted languages. During the development of C, low-level access was a key factor. C can manage memory allocation. C can handle resource management of computer performance such as CPU and management. The C programming language is often used when computer performance is a crucial factor.
The disadvantage of using C as a programming language
C programming has many benefits, but here we talk about the downsides to C. The downside to the C programming language is that it does not support concepts of object orientated-programming. Examples of object-orientated programming languages include Java and Python. Notably, C does not support inheritance, polymorphism, and encapsulation, to name a few. Compared to a language like Python that checks each line of code as it goes through an interpreter. Being a compiled language, C shows all errors after compilation. In python, the programmer can reuse and update a variable. With that in mind, C does not have a namespace. The disadvantage of C is the programmer cannot reuse two variables of the same name.
Another downside is that C is case sensitive like Java, meaning lowercase and uppercase letters have different meanings. It is essential to realize C is a statically typed language, meaning you have to declare a type. In addition, C has few libraries compared to high-level languages. C does not support garbage collection, so programmers will have to manage their memory. The development time of projects generally takes longer compared to other higher languages such as Python and Java. It is important to remember C has usage in web applications, but its usage is negligible. In the data science field, programs can use C, but other languages such as Python outshine C.
Popularity and trends of C
Between the late 1970s and 1980s, the popularity of C was rising. Mainframe computers began to use C in a variety of systems. Currently, C is the most popular programming language according to the TIOBE index. Recently, on the TIOBE index, C has gained popularity due to the coronavirus. During the pandemic, medical devices that use C became more common.
As the internet of things grows, devices that rely on C increase in popularity. Popular examples of C include Adobe Photoshop, Mozilla Firefox, and MySQL. In comparison, some may consider C to be an ancient language. To put it another way, C is a fundamental language that top companies still use. C has been around for more than three decades and has not shown a trend of losing popularity. There is a high job demand for C according to Indeed job trends.
Who used it, and who uses it today?
The C programming language used to be the first language taught to students who were new to computer programming. Plenty of software engineers specializing in C. Dennis Ritchie, who helped develop the language, were likely the first user to implement the language while creating it. Adobe, a well-known software company, uses C in many of its applications. Many browsers and extensions use C to browse the internet. The language helps build databases. MySQL is a popular example.
The C programming language powers a kernel used by Microsoft Windows. In addition, The Mac OS X kernel is also written in C. Mobile kernels written in C are also used in iOS and Android. It is essential to realize C is the go-to language for kernel development. A kernel manages computer hardware such as memory and CPU. C aided in the development of new languages. These languages include the other C languages such as C# and C++. Other languages include Java, JavaScript, Perl, PHP, and python. Most of these languages are still used today.
Why should I learn C?
The programming language is easy to learn, and when realized, learning other languages will be easier. This is because many other languages use C as a foundation. Today, C is the most used and popular programming language according to the TIOBE index. As a programmer, it helps to understand the fundamentals of C. Many universities have computer science programs. Those computer science programs offer classes in C programming. Many programmers recommend learning C because it will teach you the fundamentals of how a computer works. Suppose you like interacting with hardware from a programming perspective. Then, C is the language for you.
Summary of key points
The C programming language was developed by Dennis Ritchie in the 1970s and is still used today. Many high-language such as Java and Python use C as a base language. Benefits of C include portability and being a fast compiled language. A disadvantage of C is that it does not support object-oriented programming concepts such as polymorphism. Despite being an older programming language, C is still quite popular. Today, C is still used in many operating systems and applications. Jobs in C are still in demand. Learning C will help you understand how a computer works. I recommend Learning C because it will help you learn other languages derived from C. Doing so can make you a better programmer.
An important example being the Mars Curiosity Rover had code written in C. In addition, Java’s Oracle database is already coded in C. Many programming languages, such as Java, uses C as a base language. Notably, C programming created Quake, a popular video game. Many system programs use C for many types of system development.
