Scribd
Upload
71 views2 pages

Chapter-2 Basics of C Language: Start Learning

This document introduces some basic concepts of the C programming language. It discusses that learning the basic building blocks is necessary before programming. These basics include letters, identifiers, instructions, and programs. It then defines identifiers as the smallest meaningful units like constants, variables, and keywords. It provides examples of integer, real, and character constants. Variables are defined as named locations to store data. Keywords are predefined words with special meaning to the compiler, like if, else, int etc. that cannot be used as regular variables.

Uploaded by

Khaan Anas
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
71 views2 pages

Chapter-2 Basics of C Language: Start Learning

This document introduces some basic concepts of the C programming language. It discusses that learning the basic building blocks is necessary before programming. These basics include letters, identifiers, instructions, and programs. It then defines identifiers as the smallest meaningful units like constants, variables, and keywords. It provides examples of integer, real, and character constants. Variables are defined as named locations to store data. Keywords are predefined words with special meaning to the compiler, like if, else, int etc. that cannot be used as regular variables.

Uploaded by

Khaan Anas
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

Chapter-2

Basics of C language
Start Learning
As a matter of fact any language whether it is natural language (like Hindi, English,
French, etc) or computer programming language, one has to learn basic constituents first.
For example alphabets are basic constituents of English language.
In a similar fashion we have to learn basic constituents of C language.
The order of our journey contains:
Basic letters  Identifiers  Instructions  Program

Basic Letters

Language writing includes letters as:


Alphabets: a to z and A to Z
Digits: 0 to 9
Special Symbols: +,%,*, &, “, >, ?, \, :, ;, -, ^ ,{, [, ), etc

Identifiers
Identifiers are smallest unit in the program that has some meaning. We know that
compiler will be reading our source code to translate it in object code. So compiler should
know about all the words of our program. Few words are predefined to compiler and rest
need to be declared by the programmer. These words are identifiers as they can be
identified by compiler.
Identifier includes constants, variables, keywords, macros, function name etc.
Here we are going to understand three of these; they are constants, variables and
keywords.

Constant
Software is developed to handle information. This information is called constant.
Sometimes it is termed as data.
Constants can be categorized as Primary and secondary constants

Primary constants:
Primary constants are also known as fundamental constants or basic constants. They are
of three types; Integer constant, Real constant, Character constant.

All numbers without decimal point involved in it are integer constants.


For example: 35, -20, 0, 123 etc
All numbers with decimal point involved in it are real constant.
For example: 3.14, -43.56, 3.0 etc
All character symbols are character constants if they are enclosed in single quotes and of
unit length.
For example: ‘A’, ‘b’, ‘+’, ‘3’, ‘ ‘
Secondary constants:
Secondary constants are also known as derived constants, as they are derived from
primary constants.
Arrays, strings, pointers, structures, union, enumerators are secondary constants.
We will see them in great detail in later chapters.

Variables
Variables are the name of memory locations where we store our data. When C program is
under execution, operating system allocates memory to store instructions of the program
and also allocates space to store data.

Programmer has to decide how much space he is required with to store data. He also
specifies the names of memory blocks in his program code. These names are called
variables.
We can change its value according to programming requirement.
Variable name may contain alphabets, digits or underscore.
No other symbol is allowed.
A valid variable name never starts with digit.

Keywords

Keywords are predefined words. They are also known as reserved words. Their meaning
is known to the compiler.
ANSI (American National Standards Institute) announces 32 keywords in C language,
but it may vary with compilers.
Keywords are predefined and we will see their meaning in subsequent chapters.
Here is the list of keywords:
auto break case char continue const do default
double else enum extern for float far goto
huge int if long near return register short
static struct signed union unsigned void volatile while

These keywords can not be used as variable or function names as they already have some
meaning known to compiler.

You might also like