In this tutorial, we will learn an introduction to C programming language. C is a general-purpose computer programming language. It is developed by Dennis M. Ritchie in the year 1972 at the Bell Telephone Laboratories. C language is really useful to develop Operating Systems, Network Drivers, Language Interpreters, Language Compilers etc.
Page Contents
History of C:
Here you can see the different versions of C languages with the publication date.
| VERSION | STANDARD | PUBLICATION DATE |
|---|---|---|
| K&R | n/a | 1978-02-22 |
| C89 | ANSI X3.159-1989 | 1989-12-14 |
| C90 | ISO/IEC 9899:1990 | 1990-12-20 |
| C95 | ISO/IEC 9899/AMD1:1995 | 1995-03-30 |
| C99 | ISO/IEC 9899:1999 | 1999-12-16 |
| C11 | ISO/IEC 9899:2011 | 2011-12-15 |
Here K&R representing to Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie
Example Program:
Here is an example program. The basic motive of this program is to show the syntax of a C program.
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
printf("Hello, World! \n");
return 0;
}
Applications of C Programming language: –
C programming language can be used to develop various types of software. Please check out the following list of application of C programming language.
- To develop operating systems.
- It can be used to create language compilers.
- Network devices can be programmed using C language.
- GUI application software can be designed using C language.
- It is one of the popular language used in embedded systems.
- Used to create Database Management Systems such as MySQL.
- We can use C programming language to develop web browsers for e.g. chromium.
This was just an introduction tutorial to C programming language. In the next tutorial, we will learn how to set up the environment on our computer to run c programs.
Parvesh Sandila is a results-driven tech professional with 8+ years of experience in web and mobile development, leadership, and emerging technologies.
After completing his Master’s in Computer Applications (MCA), he began his journey as a programming mentor, guiding 100+ students and helping them build strong foundations in coding. In 2019, he founded Owlbuddy.com, a platform dedicated to providing free, high-quality programming tutorials for aspiring developers.
He then transitioned into a full-time programmer, where his hands-on expertise and problem-solving skills led him to grow into a Team Lead and Technical Project Manager, successfully delivering scalable web and mobile solutions. Today, he works with advanced technologies such as AI systems, RAG architectures, and modern digital solutions, while also collaborating through a strategic partnership with Technobae (UK) to build next-generation products.