1: Introduction to C Programming
What is C?
- C is a general-purpose, procedural programming language developed in the early 1970s by Dennis
Ritchie at Bell Labs.
- It is one of the most widely used programming languages and forms the foundation for many other
languages like C++, Java, and Python.
Why Learn C?
- Efficiency: C is fast and allows low-level memory manipulation.
- Portability: Programs written in C can run on different platforms with minimal changes.
- Foundation: Learning C helps you understand how computers work at a deeper level.
Basic Structure of a C Program
#include <stdio.h> // Preprocessor directive
int main() { // Main function
printf("Hello, World!\n"); // Print statement
return 0; // Return statement
```
- **Explanation:**
- `#include <stdio.h>`: Includes the standard input/output library.
- `int main()`: The main function where program execution begins.
- `printf("Hello, World!\n");`: Prints text to the console.
- `return 0;`: Indicates successful program termination.
Variables and Data Types
Variables
- A variable is a named location in memory used to store data.
- Syntax: `data_type variable_name = value;`
Data Types
- int: Stores integers (e.g., `int age = 25;`).
- float: Stores decimal numbers (e.g., `float pi = 3.14;`).
- char: Stores single characters (e.g., `char grade = 'A';`).
- double: Stores larger decimal numbers (e.g., `double bigNum = 12345.6789;`).
Example:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
int age = 25;
float pi = 3.14;
char grade = 'A';
double bigNum = 12345.6789;
printf("Age: %d\n", age);
printf("Pi: %.2f\n", pi);
printf("Grade: %c\n", grade);
printf("Big Number: %.4lf\n", bigNum);
return 0;
}
Explanation:
- `%d`: Format specifier for integers.
- `%f`: Format specifier for floats.
- `%c`: Format specifier for characters.
- `%lf`: Format specifier for doubles.
---
Control Structures
Conditional Statements
- if-else: Executes a block of code based on a condition.
int num = 10;
if (num > 0) {
printf("Positive number\n");
} else {
printf("Negative number\n");
- switch-case: Executes one of many blocks of code.
int day = 3;
switch (day) {
case 1: printf("Monday\n"); break;
case 2: printf("Tuesday\n"); break;
case 3: printf("Wednesday\n"); break;
default: printf("Invalid day\n");
}
Loops
- for loop: Repeats a block of code a specific number of times.
for (int i = 1; i <= 5; i++) {
printf("%d\n", i);
- while loop: Repeats a block of code while a condition is true.
int i = 1;
while (i <= 5) {
printf("%d\n", i);
i++;
- do-while loop: Similar to `while`, but the block is executed at least once.
int i = 1;
do {
printf("%d\n", i);
i++;
} while (i <= 5);
Functions
What is a Function?
- A function is a block of code that performs a specific task.
- Syntax:
return_type function_name(parameters) {
// Code to execute
return value;
Example:
#include <stdio.h>
// Function to add two numbers
int add(int a, int b) {
return a + b;
int main() {
int result = add(5, 3);
printf("Sum: %d\n", result);
return 0;
```
- Explanation:
- `int add(int a, int b)`: Defines a function named `add` that takes two integers as parameters and
returns their sum.
- `add(5, 3)`: Calls the function with arguments `5` and `3`.
Arrays and Pointers
Arrays
- An array is a collection of elements of the same type.
- Syntax: `data_type array_name[size];`
int numbers[5] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
for (int i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
printf("%d\n", numbers[i]);
Pointers
- A pointer is a variable that stores the memory address of another variable.
- Syntax: `data_type *pointer_name;`
int num = 10;
int *ptr = # // ptr stores the address of num
printf("Value: %d\n", *ptr); // Access value using pointer
```
Example:
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
int numbers[3] = {10, 20, 30};
int *ptr = numbers; // Pointer to the first element of the array
for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
printf("Value: %d, Address: %p\n", *ptr, ptr);
ptr++; // Move to the next element
return 0;
Explanation:
- `int *ptr = numbers;`: Points to the first element of the array.
- `ptr++;`: Moves the pointer to the next element.
