Getting Started with C Programming

02The Complete History of C

03Key Features of C

What makes C special? Here are the features that have kept C relevant for over 50 years:

04Where is C Used Today?

C is everywhere — you're probably using something written in C right now!

05Prerequisites

No prior programming experience is required! However, you should have:

• A computer running Windows, macOS, or Linux
• Basic familiarity with using a command line/terminal
• A text editor (we'll cover options below)
• Enthusiasm to learn!

06Installing a C Compiler

Before you can run C programs, you need a special tool called a compiler. But what exactly is a compiler? Let's understand this important concept:

The most popular C compiler is GCC (GNU Compiler Collection). It's free, open-source, and works on all major operating systems. Let's install it on your computer:

1# Verify GCC installation
2gcc --version
3
4# Expected output:
5# gcc (MinGW-w64 x86_64-...) 13.x.x
6# Copyright (C) 2023 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

1# Install Xcode Command Line Tools
2xcode-select --install
3
4# Verify installation
5gcc --version
6# or
7clang --version

1# Ubuntu/Debian
2sudo apt update
3sudo apt install build-essential
4
5# Fedora
6sudo dnf install gcc
7
8# Arch Linux
9sudo pacman -S gcc
10
11# Verify installation
12gcc --version

07Choosing a Code Editor

To write C code, you need a text editor or an IDE (Integrated Development Environment). While you can use any plain text editor (even Notepad), using a proper code editor gives you syntax highlighting, auto-completion, and error detection. Here are the most popular options:

1# Create and edit a C file with Vi
2vi hello.c
3
4# --- Inside Vi ---
5# Press 'i' to enter Insert mode, then type:
6#include <stdio.h>
7
8int main() {
9    printf("Hello from Vi!\n");
10    return 0;
11}
12
13# Press 'Esc' to exit Insert mode
14# Type ':wq' and press Enter to save and quit
15
16# Now compile and run
17gcc hello.c -o hello
18./hello

08Your First C Program: Hello, World!

Now comes the exciting part — writing your very first C program! We'll create the famous "Hello, World!" program. This is a tradition in programming that dates back to the 1970s, and it's the perfect way to test that everything is working correctly.

Create a new file called hello.c (C files always end with .c) and type the following code:

1#include <stdio.h>
2
3int main() {
4    printf("Hello, World!\n");
5    return 0;
6}

09The Complete Compilation Process

Understanding how C code becomes an executable program is crucial. Your code goes through four distinct stages before it can run:

Compiling and Running

Open your terminal, navigate to the folder containing hello.c, and run:

1# Compile the program
2gcc hello.c -o hello
3
4# Run the compiled program
5# On Windows:
6hello.exe
7
8# On macOS/Linux:
9./hello
10
11# Output:
12Hello, World!

Common Beginner Errors

// Wrong - missing semicolon
printf("Hello")
// Correct
printf("Hello");

// Wrong - single quotes are for single characters
printf('Hello');
// Correct
printf("Hello");

!Code Pitfalls: Common Mistakes & What to Watch For

10Frequently Asked Questions

11Summary