C Programming Language Tutorial

Last Updated : 06 Jan, 2025

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C is a general-purpose, procedural, and middle-level programming

language used for developing computer software, system
programming, applications, games, and more. Known for its simplicity
and efficiency, C is an excellent choice for beginners as it provides a strong
foundation in programming concepts. C was developed by Dennis M. Ritchie
at Bell Laboratories in 1972. Initially, it was created for programming
the UNIX operating system.
 Bridges the gap between low-level programming (closer to hardware
and machine code) and high-level programming (closer to human-
readable code).
 Referred as the "mother of all programming languages" because it
influenced many modern programming languages like C+
+, Java, Python and Go.
 C programs are platform-independent i.e. code can be compiled and
run on different systems with minimal modifications.
 Does not require heavy runtime environments or libraries, making it ideal
for low-resource systems.
Hello World Program
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#include <stdio.h>
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int main()
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{
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printf("Hello World!");
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return 0;
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}

Output
Hello World!

In this C tutorial, we’ll cover everything from basic syntax, data types,
and control structures to advanced topics like pointers, memory
management, and file handling. By the end, you’ll gain hands-on
experience and a solid understanding of C, which is essential for mastering
other programming languages like C++ and Java. Let’s dive into the world of
C programming and build a strong coding foundation!
C Overview
 What is C Language?
 C Features
 C Standards
 Setting Up C Development Environment
 Hello World Program
 Compiling a C Program: Behind the Scenes
C Basics
 Tokens
 Identifiers
 Keywords
 Comments
 Variables
 Constants
 Data Types
 Data Type Modifiers
 Type Conversion
 Operators
C Input/Output
 Basic Input and Output
 printf
 scanf
 Format Specifiers
 Escape Sequence
C Operators
 Arithmetic Operators
 Unary Operators
 Assignment Operators
 Logical Operators
 Bitwise Operator
 Signed Number Representation
 Operator Precedence and Associativity
C Flow Control
 if Statement
 if…else Statement
 if-else-if Ladder
 Switch Statement
 Using Range in Switch Case
 for Loop
 while looping
 do…while Loop
 continue Statement
 break Statement
 goto Statement
C Functions
 Introduction to Functions
 User-Defined Function
 Parameter Passing Techniques
 Main Function
 Inline Function
 Nested Functions
C Arrays
 Introduction to Arrays
 Length of Array
 Multidimensional Arrays
 Pass Array to Functions
 Pass a 2D Array as a Parameter
C Strings
 Introduction to Strings
 Length of String
 String Comparison
 String Copy
 String Concatenation
 Array of Strings
 String Functions
C Pointers
 Introduction to Pointers
 Pointer Arithmetics
 Pointer to Pointer (Double Pointer)
 Function Pointer
 Declare Function Pointer
 Pointer to an Array
 Constant Pointer
 Pointer vs Array
 Dangling, Void, Null and Wild Pointers
 Near, Far and Huge Pointers
 restrict Keyword
C Dynamic Memory Allocation
 Memory Structure of a Program
 Dynamic Memory Allocation (malloc(), calloc(), and free())
 Memory Leak
C Structures and Union
 Introduction to Structures
 Array of Structures
 Structure Pointer
 Structure Member Alignment
 Introduction to Unions
 Bit Fields
 Structure vs Union
 Anonymous Union and Structure
 Enumeration (or enum)
 dot (.) Operator
 typedef
C Storage Classes
 Introduction to Storage Classes
 extern Keyword
 Static Variables
 Initialization of Static Variables
 Static Functions
 Understanding “volatile” Qualifier
 Understanding the “register” Keyword
C Preprocessor
 Introduction to Preprocessors
 Preprocessor Directives
 How a Preprocessor Works?
 Header Files
 Header Files “stdio.h” vs “stdlib.h”
 Write Your Own Header File
 Macros and its Types
 Interesting Facts About Macros and Preprocessors
 # and ## Operators
 Print a Variable Name
 Multiline Macros
 Variable Length Arguments for Macros
 Branch Prediction Macros in GCC
 typedef versus #define
 Difference Between #define and const
C File Handling
 Basics of File Handling
 fopen() Function
 EOF, getc() and feof()
 fgets() and gets()
 fseek() vs rewind()
 Return Type of getchar(), fgetc() and getc()
 Read/Write Structure From/to a File
 Print Contents of File
 Delete a File
 Merge Contents of Two Files into a Third File
 printf vs sprintf vs fprintf
 getc() vs getchar() vs getch() vs getche()
C Error Handling
 Error Handling
 Using goto for Exception Handling
 Error Handling During File Operations
 Handle Divide By Zero and Multiple Exceptions
C Programs
 Basic C Programs
 Control Flow Programs
 Pattern Printing Programs
 Functions Programs
 Arrays Programs
 Strings Programs
 Conversions Programs
 Pointers Programs
 Structures and Unions Programs
 File I/O Programs
 Date and Time Programs
 More C Programs
Miscellaneous
 Date and Time
 Input-Output System Calls
 Signals
 Program Error Signals
 Socket Programming
 _Generics Keyword
 Multithreading
C Interview Questions
 Top 50 C Programming Interview Questions and Answers
 Commonly Asked C Programming Interview Questions | Set 1
 Commonly Asked C Programming Interview Questions | Set 2
 Commonly Asked C Programming Interview Questions | Set 3