C

C Programming

Master the fundamentals of C programming with comprehensive tutorials, examples, and hands-on exercises

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C Programming Tutorial
Getting Started
Fundamentals
Control Flow
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Hello World Program in C

Let's create your first C program! The "Hello World" program is a simple program that displays "Hello, World!" on the screen.

Basic Hello World Program

hello.c 
#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    printf("Hello, World!\n");
    return 0;
}
Try This Code

Code Explanation

#include <stdio.h>

This is a preprocessor directive that includes the standard input/output library, which contains the printf() function.

int main()

This is the main function where program execution begins. Every C program must have a main() function.

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

This function prints the text "Hello, World!" to the screen. The \n is an escape sequence for a new line.

return 0;

This statement returns 0 to the operating system, indicating that the program executed successfully.

How to Compile and Run

1
Save the Code

Save the code in a file named hello.c

2
Compile

Open terminal and run: gcc hello.c -o hello

3
Execute

Run the program: ./hello (Linux/Mac) or hello.exe (Windows)

Output

When you run this program, you will see:

Hello, World!

Explanation

  • #include <stdio.h>: Brings in functions like printf() from the standard I/O library.
  • int main(): Program entry point where execution begins. Must return an int.
  • printf(): Prints text to the console; \n adds a newline so the shell prompt appears on the next line.
  • return 0;: Signals successful completion to the operating system.
Keywords
Hello World, stdio.h, printf, main function, compile and run
Quick Tips
  • Compile with gcc hello.c -o hello and run ./hello.
  • Every statement ends with a semicolon; missing it causes compile errors.
  • Use meaningful file names and keep examples small while learning.
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Next: Keywords & Identifiers

Frequently Asked Questions

C is a powerful, general-purpose programming language that's been around since the 1970s. It's the foundation for many modern languages and is essential for system programming, embedded systems, and understanding how computers work at a low level. Learning C gives you a solid foundation in programming fundamentals.

No prior programming experience is required! Our C programming tutorial is designed for complete beginners. We start with the basics and gradually progress to more advanced topics. However, having some basic computer literacy and logical thinking skills will be helpful.

You need a C compiler to run C programs. For beginners, we recommend using our online C compiler which requires no installation. For local development, you can use GCC (GNU Compiler Collection) which is available on Windows (via MinGW), macOS (via Xcode), and Linux. IDEs like Code::Blocks, Dev-C++, or Visual Studio Code are also helpful.

The time to learn C depends on your dedication and prior experience. With consistent practice (1-2 hours daily), you can grasp the basics in 2-4 weeks and become proficient in 2-3 months. Mastering advanced concepts like pointers, memory management, and data structures may take 6-12 months of regular practice.

C programming skills open doors to various career paths including system programming, embedded systems development, operating system development, device driver programming, game development, and firmware development. Many companies in automotive, aerospace, telecommunications, and IoT sectors actively seek C programmers.

Absolutely! C remains highly relevant and is consistently ranked among the top programming languages. It's essential for system programming, embedded systems, IoT devices, and performance-critical applications. Many modern languages are built on C, and understanding C helps you become a better programmer overall.