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This document provides an overview of programming basics, focusing on the C programming language. It covers fundamental concepts such as the definition of programming, the significance of C, the structure of a C program, data types, operators, and the differences between statically and dynamically typed languages. The importance of practice and the popularity of C in various industries are also highlighted.

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rajin.khan2001
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7 views7 pages

Week 1 - 1 PDF

This document provides an overview of programming basics, focusing on the C programming language. It covers fundamental concepts such as the definition of programming, the significance of C, the structure of a C program, data types, operators, and the differences between statically and dynamically typed languages. The importance of practice and the popularity of C in various industries are also highlighted.

Uploaded by

rajin.khan2001
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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week 1_1:

programming basics
- OVERVIEW:

This week, I’ll lay the foundation for understanding programming


concepts and delve into the basics of the C programming language. By
the end of this week, you'll have a solid understanding of how
programming works, the essentials of C programming, and the
significance of C in the world of software development.

UNDERSTANDING PROGRAMMING:

- WHAT IS PROGRAMMING?

Programming is the process of instructing a computer to perform


specific tasks using a set of predefined instructions. It involves
designing algorithms, writing code, testing, debugging, and
maintaining programs.

- WHY LEARN PROGRAMMING?

Programming enhances problem-solving skills, logical thinking, and


creativity. It opens doors to various career opportunities in
software development, data science, artificial intelligence, and
more.

INTRODUCTION TO C:

- WHAT IS C?

C is a powerful and widely-used programming language developed in


the early 1970s by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labs. It is known for its
efficiency, portability, and flexibility, making it suitable for
system programming and developing operating systems.

- WHY LEARN C?

C provides a strong foundation for understanding programming


principles and concepts. It offers low-level access to the system's
memory and hardware, allowing for efficient and high-performance
code. Many modern programming languages are influenced by C, making
it a valuable language to learn.
preprocessor directive/header file

main function

code (print statement)

return statement

a typical C program.

- MAIN FUNCTION AND PREPROCESSOR DIRECTIVES:

Every C program starts execution from the `main()` function, which


serves as the entry point of the program.
Preprocessor directives, such as `#include`, are used to include
header files and perform text substitution before compilation.
Header files store library functions that we need to create basic
programs. As such, “stdio.h”, meaning the standard input output
header file, stores the definitions of basic functions for input and
output, such as the printf() function and the scanf() function.

- THE printf() FUNCTION:

printf() is a function in C used to print formatted output to the


standard output (usually the console). It accepts format specifiers
and arguments for output formatting. Additionally, every statement
in C ends with a semicolon “;” (Except preprocessors).

- OUTPUTTING STRINGS:

Strings in C are enclosed in double quotes " “.


For example: printf("Hello, World!\n");
We can also use the `%s` format specifier to output strings, and
I’ll explain how format specifiers work in class.
- OUTPUTTING NUMBERS (AND CHARACTERS):

For printing numbers, we use format specifiers such as `%d` for


integers, `%f` (or `.intf`) for floats, and `%c` for characters (In
printf(“”)). We will get into the different data types soon.

format specifier/
placeholder

the variable that goes in


the placeholder

output

The variable x stores the value: 7

- ESCAPE SEQUENCES:

These are special characters used to represent non-printable


characters and formatting options. Common escape sequences include
`\n` for newline, `\t` for tab, `\"` for double quote, and `\\` for
backslash.

DATA TYPES AND SIZES (IN C):

C supports various data types such as `int`, `float`, `char`,


`double`, etc. Each type has a specific size in memory.

int stores integers (4 bytes)

float stores numbers with floating point precision (4 bytes)

double stores larger numbers (8 bytes)

char stores a single character (“a”, or “@“, or “%”) (1 byte)

bool stores a boolean value (either TRUE/1 or 0/FALSE) (4 bytes)


MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS (AND PRECEDENCE):

C supports arithmetic operators such as addition `+`, subtraction `-


`, multiplication `*`, division `/`, and modulo `%` (remainder). The
order of precedence of operators determines the sequence of
evaluation:

1. Parentheses `()`
2. Multiplication `*`, Division `/`, Modulo `%`
3. Addition `+`, Subtraction `-`

Parentheses can be used to alter the default precedence and enforce


a specific order of evaluation.

STATICALLY TYPED VS DYNAMICALLY TYPED LANGUAGES:

- STATICALLY TYPED LANGUAGE:

In statically typed languages like C, data types are determined at


compile-time. Variables must be declared with their data types
before they can be used. This is commonly known as initialization.
An example with a separate explanation will be shown afterwards.
This process usually provides type safety and early detection of
errors.

- DYNAMICALLY TYPED LANGUAGE:

In dynamically typed languages like Python, data types are


determined at runtime. Variables can change their data types during
execution. Offers flexibility but may lead to runtime errors if type
mismatches occur.

- INITIALIZATION OF VARIABLES:

Initialization refers to assigning an initial value to a variable


when it is declared. In C, variables should be initialized to avoid
accessing undefined values. Using the previous example, the
initialization step has been outlined:
initialization

the same example, showing specific lines for initialization

The first line is the declaration of the variable, while the second
line is the initialization. This same initialization could be
achieved in one line, by writing “int x = 7;”, and this is more
useful when using a single variable. However, when creating large
programs or software which may need a plethora of variables, it is
more useful to first declare the variables in one line, then
initialize it in a separate one.

IMPORTANCE OF PRACTICE:

Programming skills improve with practice and hands-on experience.


Experiment with code, solve problems, and explore different
programming constructs to reinforce learning.

SOME INTERESTING STATISTICS:


- POPULARITY OF C:

According to the TIOBE Index, C consistently ranks among the top


programming languages in terms of popularity and usage. C is widely
used in industries such as system programming, embedded systems,
game development, and more.

CONCLUSION:

And with that, you’ve completed the basics of programming with C.


Keep practicing the basics, and we’ll delve into more interesting
concepts next class.
next class 1_2:

arithmetic operations
and conditionals

reach out for classes at: [email protected]

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