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.