Introduction to Programming in C

Oct 23, 2024

Programming in C Language - Lecture Notes

Introduction to Programming

  • Purpose of Programming:
    • Perform computational tasks on computers.
    • Communicate with computers through instructions.

Why Write Programs?

  • Computers perform tasks based on sequences of instructions known as programs.
  • Without programs, computers cannot execute any tasks.

Understanding Computer Language

  • Binary Language:
    • Computers understand only binary (0s and 1s).
    • Instructions in natural languages (English, Hindi, etc.) are not understood by computers.

Types of Software

  • System Programs:
    • Manage system resources and hardware.
  • Application Programs:
    • Used to perform specific tasks (e.g., web browsers, text editors).

Programming Languages

  • Need for Programming Languages:
    • Necessary to convert human-readable code into machine language (binary).
    • Programming languages have syntax and rules for writing programs (e.g., C, C++, Java).

Introduction to C Language

  • History:
    • Developed by Dennis Ritchie in 1972 at Bell Laboratories.
    • Successor to the B language, initially used to write the Unix operating system.
  • Characteristics of C Language:
    • System programming language used for writing operating systems, applications, and more.
    • Popular programming language, standardized by ANSI in 1989 (ANSI C).

Machine Language vs High-Level Language

  • Machine Language:
    • Difficult to write and machine-dependent.
    • Programs written in machine language are not portable across different machines.
  • High-Level Languages:
    • Easier to write and understand by humans.
    • Provide portability, allowing programs to run on different machines with minimal changes.

Compilation Process

  • Compiler:
    • Converts C programs into object code (machine code).
    • C programs have a .c extension.
  • Execution Flow:
    • Program written in C → Compiled to object code → Executed by CPU.

Conclusion

  • Next video will cover the execution process of C programs, the role of the linker and loader, and differences between compiler and interpreter.
  • End of Lecture.