Learn what is C, a general-purpose, structured, and machine-independent programming language that is widely used for various applications and systems. Explore the history, basic commands, key applications, and features of C language in this tutorial. What is C (programming language)? The C programming language is a procedural and general-purpose language that provides low-level access to system memory. A program written in C must be run through a C compiler to convert it into an executable that a computer can run. C is what is called a compiled language. This means that once you write your C program, you must run it through a C compiler to turn your program into an executable that the computer can run (execute). The C program is the human-readable form, while the executable that comes out of the compiler is the machine-readable and executable form. C is a general?purpose, high?level language that was originally developed by Dennis M. Ritchie to develop the UNIX operating system at Bell Labs. C was originally first implemented on the DEC PDP-11 computer in 1972.
