C
This section contains snippets of code written in C, a general-purpose, procedural programming language known for its efficiency and control over system resources. C is widely used for system programming, embedded systems, and performance-critical applications. The following examples demonstrate various C functionalities and best practices to help you understand and implement C in your projects effectively.
History
The C programming language was developed in the early 1970s by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labs. Here is a brief history:
1969-1973: Dennis Ritchie develops C at Bell Labs, evolving from the B language, which was itself derived from BCPL.
1978: The first edition of "The C Programming Language" by Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie is published, commonly referred to as K&R C.
1983: The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) forms a committee to standardize C, leading to the ANSI C standard.
1989: ANSI C (also known as C89) is ratified.
1990: The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) adopts ANSI C, leading to the ISO C standard (also known as C90).
1999: The C99 standard is published, introducing several new features such as inline functions, variable-length arrays, and new data types.
2011: The C11 standard is released, adding features like multi-threading support and improved Unicode support.
2018: The C18 standard is published, mainly addressing defects in C11 without introducing new features.
C has had a significant influence on many other programming languages, including C++, C#, Java, and many others. It remains widely used for system programming, embedded systems, and performance-critical applications.