C is a high-level programming language that is designed to utilise functions and procedures. Through its structure and syntax, unintended operations are prevented however the complexities of C, especially in how memory is handled has caused numerous security vulnerabilities across the many applications that have been written in it. C code has to be compiled into an executable format before it can be run, this gives the language a speed and stability advantage over languages that are interpreted at run time.
Technipages Explains C
Through C’s design with low-level access to memory and a relatively simple compiler despite being a high-level language, code maps efficiently into machine instructions. Support for C is extremely broad, all major operating systems support it as do most micro-controllers and even super-computers, as such compiled C programs are easily portable to support a wide range of systems.
A large number of languages have been inspired in some way by C and use certain formats and standards it popularised. C++, Java, Python, PHP, Perl, Rust, Go, Swift and many other languages utilise elements or styles that have been borrowed from C. C has was initially developed in 1972 with an informal specification published in 1978 and a standardised and since amended version first published in 1989.
The Linux kernel, DOOM, and early versions of Microsoft office are popular examples of software written in C. C is very heavily used in embedded systems that manage things from planes, trains, cars, industrial control systems and even in some spacecraft.
Common Uses of C
- Standards-compliant C programs are written with portability in mind.
- The origins of C is closely tied to the development of the Unix operating system.
- C supports the use of pointers, a type of reference that records the address or location of an object or function in memory.
Common Misuses of C
- C is an object-orientated programming language.
