Introduction

• Developed at AT & T’s Bell Laboratories of USA in 1972.

• Designed and written by Dennis Ritchie.

• C is a middle-level programming language that is compiled and structured.

Why study C

• C is very fast in terms of execution time - uses fewer instructions.

• Learning C++ or Java directly is not an easy task.

• Learning the basic language elements makes your journey to Object Oriented languages a lot easier.

• C is unmatched in terms of performance.

• Major parts of OS like WINDOWS, LINUX and UNIX are written in C.

• C is a free and open-source programming language that is publicly accessible and available in all coding and programming platforms.

Disadvantages of C

• C Programming Language doesn't support Object Oriented Programming(OOP) features like Inheritance, Encapsulation, Polymorphism etc.

• C doesn't perform Run Time Type Checking - compiler shows all the errors after writing the program

• No Garbage Collection - it is a feature that automatically reclaims memory from objects no longer needed by an application or library.

Basic C program

let's try to print " Hello World! "

#include<stdio.h>

int main() {
printf("Hello World!");
return 0; 
}

output:
Hello World!

Basic components of a C program

• " #include<stdio.h> " represents a preprocessor directive header file. These are various pre-written files that could be used by us for an efficient experience.

• "main" is the entry point of a program. When a file is executed, the start point is the main function. From the main function, the flow goes as per the programmer's choice. It is compulsory for any c program.

• "printf" is a function used to send data to the standard output device (usually the monitor) to be printed according to a specific format.

• "scanf" is a function used to read data from the standard input device (usually a keyboard) and store it in a variable.

• "Return" is used to end the execution of a function.

Conclusion

Overall, C is a powerful programming language with a rich history and widespread use in today's technology landscape. It is renowned for its speed, efficiency, and low-level control over hardware, making it an ideal choice for developing operating systems, device drivers, and other system-level applications. If you're new to programming or interested in picking up a new language, C can serve as a great introduction to key concepts that apply across a wide range of languages. While our discussion above provides a basic overview, there is much more to learn about C, and I encourage you to explore the language further on your own.

Until next time, keep learning!