C Programming For Dummies

Dan Gookin

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781119740247
• eBook ISBN: 9781119740261
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Computer Science
• Subtopic: Programming in C
• Index: Computer Science

Get an A grade in C

As with any major language, mastery of C can take you to some very interesting new places. Almost 50 years after it first appeared, it's still the world's most popular programming language and is used as the basis of global industry's core systems, including operating systems, high-performance graphics applications, and microcontrollers. This means that fluent C users are in big demand at the sharp end in cutting-edge industries—such as gaming, app development, telecommunications, engineering, and even animation—to translate innovative ideas into a smoothly functioning reality.

To help you get to where you want to go with C, this 2nd edition of C Programming For Dummies covers everything you need to begin writing programs, guiding you logically through the development cycle: from initial design and testing to deployment and live iteration. By the end you'll be au fait with the do's and don'ts of good clean writing and easily able to produce the basic—and not-so-basic—building blocks of an elegant and efficient source code.

• Write and compile source code
• Link code to create the executable program
• Debug and optimize your code
• Avoid common mistakes

Whatever your destination: tech industry, start-up, or just developing for pleasure at home, this easy-to-follow, informative, and entertaining guide to the C programming language is the fastest and friendliest way to get there!

Part 1

The ABs of C

IN THIS PART …

• Get started with C coding
• Work through your very first program
• Learn how programming works
• Discover the parts of the C language
• Craft a basic C skeleton

Chapter 1

A Quick Start for the Impatient

IN THIS CHAPTER

Reviewing software requirements

Programming at the command prompt

Using an IDE

Creating a command prompt program

Working in Code::Blocks

Compiling a program

You’re most likely eager to get started programming in C. I shan’t waste your time.

If you already have a compiler or an IDE set up and are ready to go, skip to Chapter 2.

What You Need to Program

The two most important things you need to begin your programming adventure are

• A computer
• Access to the Internet

The computer is your primary tool for writing and compiling code. Yes, even if you’re writing a game for the Xbox, you need a computer to be able to code. The computer can be a PC or a Macintosh. The PC can run Windows or Linux.

Internet access is necessary to obtain the programming software. You need a text editor to write the code and a compiler to translate the code into a program. The compiler generally comes with other tools you need, such as a linker and a debugger. All these tools are found at no cost on the Internet.

The software tools offer two approaches to programming: command line and IDE.

If you want to learn C programming as I did back in the dark ages, you use a terminal window and traditional command-line tools: editor, compiler, and linker. The process is fast, but complicated because you’re using text mode commands. Still, it offers a spiritual connection with those who built the foundations upon which the computer industry roosts.

The most common way to craft code, however, is to obtain an integrated development environment — called an IDE by the cool kids. It combines all the tools you need for programming into one compact, terrifying, and intimidating unit.

Don’t freak! The terms compiler, linker, debugger, and terrifying are all defined in Chapter 2.

Command Prompt Programming

To re-create the environment where the C language was born, use a Unix or Linux terminal window running a shell program such as bash. This environment is available to all major computing platforms, and the programming tools used are reliable and well-documented. Programming at the command prompt earns you a nerd merit badge and the admiration of your peers.

For Windows 10, open the Microsoft Store app and install Ubuntu, a free Linux shell. Ensure that you follow the directions to install the Windows Subsystem for Linux, which is an extra step you’ll probably miss.

For Linux, you’re ready to go: Open a terminal window to access the shell.

For Mac OS X, use the Terminal app. I also recommend obtaining the Homebrew package manager. Visit https://brew.sh for directions. Homebrew allows you to install programming tools not available to OS X.

For an editor, you can use any text mode editor available at the command prompt, such as vi or emacs. You can also “mix it up” and use a window-based editor. I’m fond of using the Windows version of the VIM editor while I simultaneously work at the command prompt in an Ubuntu terminal window.

A C compiler comes native to a Unix/Linux command prompt. The standard version is cc or gcc, but I recommend that you use the shell’s package manager to acquire the LLVM clang compiler. In Ubuntu Linux for Windows 10, type this command to install clang:

sudo apt-get install clang

Type your account password to initiate the process. To verify the installation, type

clang --version

Various Linux distros offer similar package managers, which you can use to obtain an editor and the clang compiler.

• The VIM editor can be obtained from vim.org.
• 

  Your choice to use the command prompt means you’re taking on an extra layer of complexity when it comes to programming. I find it fast and enjoyable, but if you believe it to be too much, especially when first learning the C language, rely instead upon an IDE, as covered in the next section.

IDE Programming

Plenty of programming IDEs are available for your C coding pleasure. On the Mac, use Xcode, which you can install from the App Store. For Windows and Linux, I recommend obtaining the Code::Blocks IDE, which is found at codeblocks.org. You can choose any other IDE you prefer, but Code::Blocks for Windows is fairly stable and comes with everything you need — providing that you install the correct version.

Installing Code::Blocks

The Code::Blocks website will doubtless b...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Part 1: The ABs of C
• Part 2: C Programming 101
• Part 3: Build Upon What You Know
• Part 4: The Advanced Part
• Part 5: And the Rest of It
• Part 6: The Part of Tens
• Part 7: Appendices
• Index
• About the Author
• Connect with Dummies
• End User License Agreement