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Class 001 Introduction and Installation

This document is a tutorial for beginners on C programming, covering the basics of programming languages, specifically C, and how to install necessary software like compilers and code editors. It explains the process of translating C code into machine code using a compiler and provides step-by-step instructions for writing and running a simple C program. Additionally, it discusses the limitations of using Notepad for coding and introduces more user-friendly code editors such as Code::Blocks and Visual Studio Code.

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2 views

Class 001 Introduction and Installation

This document is a tutorial for beginners on C programming, covering the basics of programming languages, specifically C, and how to install necessary software like compilers and code editors. It explains the process of translating C code into machine code using a compiler and provides step-by-step instructions for writing and running a simple C program. Additionally, it discusses the limitations of using Notepad for coding and introduces more user-friendly code editors such as Code::Blocks and Visual Studio Code.

Uploaded by

rowshonara.338
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Author: Md.

Ashraful Islam, Lecturer, CSE, BUET

C Programming Tutorial for Beginners

Class 1: Introduction and Installation of Required Software

What is a Programming Language?

Programming language is a way to communicate instructions to a computer. Just like


humans use languages like English or Bengali, programmers use languages like C, Python,
or Java to tell computers what to do.

What is C?

C is one of the oldest and most powerful programming languages. It was developed in the
early 1970s by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labs. It’s a procedural language that provides low-
level access to memory and is used in systems programming (like operating systems,
embedded systems).

How Do Machines Recognize Code?

Computers can only understand machine code – a sequence of 0s and 1s (binary). Human-
readable code (like C) needs to be translated into machine code so that the computer can
execute it.

How C Code is Translated to Machine Code (Compiler)

A compiler is a special program that translates your C code into machine code. Here's how
it works:

1. You write a C program (.c file).

2. The compiler translates it into an executable (.exe) or binary file.

3. The machine runs the binary file.

The most common C compilers are:

• GCC (GNU Compiler Collection)


Author: Md. Ashraful Islam, Lecturer, CSE, BUET

• Clang

• Turbo C (old)

• MSVC (Microsoft)

How to Install a C Compiler and Set the Environment Path

Installing GCC Compiler on Windows

1. Install TDM-GCC or MinGW (GCC version for Windows).

2. During installation, note the install path (e.g., C:\TDM-GCC-64\bin).

3. Add this path to the Environment Variable:

o Open Control Panel > System > Advanced system settings > Environment
Variables.

o Edit the Path variable under System variables.

o Add the path where gcc.exe is located.

4. Open Command Prompt and run gcc --version to confirm it's installed.

Write a Sample C Code in Notepad

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {

printf("Hello, World!\n");

return 0;

Save and Run It from Command Prompt

Step-by-step:

1. Save the file as hello.c using Notepad.


Author: Md. Ashraful Islam, Lecturer, CSE, BUET

2. Open Command Prompt.

3. Navigate to the folder where hello.c is saved using cd command:

4. cd C:\Users\YourName\Desktop

5. Compile the program:

6. gcc hello.c -o hello.exe

7. Run the program:

8. hello

You should see:

Hello, World!

Limitations of Using Notepad

• No syntax highlighting.

• No auto-completion or code suggestions.

• No error checking or debug support.

• Not beginner friendly.

Introduction to Code Editors

Code Editors make programming easier by providing:

• Syntax highlighting

• Autocomplete

• Error detection

• Integration with compiler/debugger

Examples:

• Code::Blocks (Free)

• VS Code (Free)

• CLion (Paid)
Author: Md. Ashraful Islam, Lecturer, CSE, BUET

How to Install Code::Blocks

1. Go to https://www.codeblocks.org/downloads/

2. Download the version with mingw-setup (includes compiler). (Direct Download Link)

3. Install it with default settings.

4. Open Code::Blocks → Create a new file.

Working with Code::Blocks

1. Create a new file.

2. Write the following code and save it (Ctrl+S) as test.c.

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {

printf("Hello, World!\n");

return 0;

3. Click Build and Run (F9).

4. Your program will compile and show output in the terminal window.

How to Install Visual Studio Code (VS Code)

1. Go to https://code.visualstudio.com/

2. Download and install for your OS.

3. Install the C/C++ extension from Microsoft (in Extensions panel).

4. Install Code Runner extension (optional).

Working with VS Code


Author: Md. Ashraful Islam, Lecturer, CSE, BUET

1. Create a folder and open it in VS Code.

2. Save your code as main.c.

3. Make sure GCC is installed and added to the PATH.

4. Open Terminal > New Terminal.

5. Compile and run:

6. gcc main.c -o main

7. ./main

Or use Code Runner to compile and run automatically.

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