History of C language

• Programming is the process of converting a solution (algorithm or flowchart) to a set

of instructions.
• A computer language is used to write the set of instructions (Computer Program).
• By 1960 a group of computer languages had come into existence almost each for a
specific purpose.
• An international committee developed a language called ALGOL 60.
• A new language called Combined Programming Language (CPL) was developed at
Cambridge University which was very hard to implement.
• To solve this problem, Basic Combined Programming Language (BCPL) was
developed, but it was very less powerful and too specific.
• Around this time a language called B was written for Unix by Ken Thompson at AT &
T’s Bell Labs.
• Dennis M Ritchie (Circa 1972) inherited the features of B and BCPL, added some of
his own and developed C.
 Introduction to C Language
• C is a general Computer Programming Language.
• It was originally created for the specific purpose of rewriting Unix
operating System.
• The intention of these programmers was to port Unix onto other
dissimilar machines.
• What was required was a language that would permit Assembly like
operations such as Bit manipulations, and at the same time be
executable on different Computers.
• Hence a new language was called for and C was born.
 FEATURES OF C
• It is robust.
• it is reliable, simple and easy to use.
• C has the advantage of assembly level programming such as bit manipulation
and all the significant features of high level language such as easy debugging,
compactness etc. Therefore most of the C compilers are written in C.
• C is also called as a middle level language since it combines the features of high
level as well as low level programming.
• It is highly suited for writing system software and application packages.
• C consists of a rich variety of data types and powerful operators. This makes C
programs much more efficient and fast.
• C is a structured language, wherein the program is subdivided into a
number of modules. Each of these modules performs a specific task.
Further structured programming helps in making program debugging,
testing and maintenance, easier.
• User-defined functions can be added to the C library making the
programs simpler.
• C provides manipulation of internal processor registers.
• It allows pointer arithmetic and pointer manipulation.
• Expressions can be represented in compact form using C.
 APPLICATIONS OF C
• Operating Systems
• Graphical User Interface
• Embedded Systems
• Database
• Gaming
• Development of New languages
• Assemblers
• Text Editors
• Drivers
• Compiler Design
 Benefits of C language
• As a middle-level language,
• C combines the features of both high-level and low-level languages. It can be used
for low-level programming, such as scripting for drivers and kernels and it also
supports functions of high-level programming languages, such as scripting for
software applications etc.
• C is a structured programming language
• which allows a complex program to be broken into simpler programs called
functions. It also allows free movement of data across these functions.
• C language is case-sensitive
• which means lowercase and uppercase letters are treated differently.
• C is a general-purpose programming language and can efficiently work
on enterprise applications, games, graphics, and applications requiring
calculations, etc.
• C language has a rich library which provides a number of built-in
functions. It also offers dynamic memory allocation.
• C implements algorithms and data structures swiftly, facilitating faster
computations in programs. This has enabled the use of C in applications
requiring higher degrees of calculations like MATLAB