Programming Tutorials

Basics of C

By: Abinaya in C Tutorials on 2007-09-20  

C is a general-purpose, high-level programming language that was developed in the early 1970s by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labs. C is a powerful programming language that is used to create a wide range of software, from operating systems and compilers to video games and embedded systems.

Here are some basic concepts of C programming:

1. Variables: C programming is based on variables. A variable is a storage location in memory that has a name and a value. You can store different types of data in variables such as integers, floating-point numbers, characters, and arrays.

2. Data Types: C has several built-in data types such as integer, character, floating-point, double floating-point, and void. You can also create your own data types using structures and unions.

3. Operators: C has several types of operators, including arithmetic, relational, logical, bitwise, and assignment operators. These operators are used to perform various mathematical and logical operations in your programs.

4. Control Structures: C provides several control structures such as if-else statements, loops (for, while, and do-while), switch-case statements, and goto statements. These structures help you to control the flow of your program.

5. Functions: C is a procedural programming language, which means that programs are built around procedures or functions. A function is a block of code that performs a specific task. C has built-in functions, and you can also create your own functions.

6. Pointers: Pointers are variables that store memory addresses. You can use pointers to manipulate data directly in memory, which can be useful for optimizing your code.

Overall, C is a powerful and versatile programming language that is still widely used today. However, it is also a low-level language that can be more difficult to learn than some other languages, and it requires more attention to memory management and other details.