Systems & hardware
C
C is a general-purpose, procedural computer programming language supporting structured programming, lexical variable scope, and recursion, while a static type system prevents unintended operations. By design, C provides constructs that map efficiently to typical machine instructions and has found lasting use in applications previously coded in assembly language. Such applications include operating systems and various application software for computer architectures that range from supercomputers to PLCs and embedded systems.
- Created by
- Dennis Ritchie
- First appeared
- 1972
- Official resource
- Visit the main website
Your first program
Hello, World!
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
printf("Hello, World!\\n");
return 0;
}Keep learning
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Content reviewed August 2026 · Start with primary sources and verify version-specific details.