Basic of C Programming 

Software:  The term Software refers to the set of computer programs, procedures and associated documents that describe the program and how they are to be used. It is sequences the simple operations that the hardware rapidly and tirelessly repeats, their by making it a very useful tool.

OR

Software: Software is a collection of application program.

 Application Program: Application is collection of large size program.

Program: Program is a set of instructions which are execute in a sequence manner.

Types of Software

1.       System Software

2.       Application Software

System Software: System Software refers to all the programs, languages and documentation supplied by the manufacturer with the computer. These programs allow the users to communicate with the computer and to write or develop his own programs. It is also known as a system package. The system package supports the running of the other software communication with peripheral devices (printer, card readers, disk and tape devices, etc). The system software makes the operation of the computer system more effective and efficient.

System Software is further sub classified as:

         i.            Operating System Software

       ii.            Language Software

Operating System Software:

It contains instructions for carrying out certain task such as:

·          Arithmetic: Add, Subtract, multiply, divide numeric values.

·         Text Processing : Copying, compare, extract,  insert, join textual items

·         Transfer of data between memories, registers, terminals etc.

·         Sequencing: Follow instructions sequentially, select among alternatives set of instructions, repeat instructions.

·         Control: Activate, deactivate, test, synchronize devices, cause data to read from and written in various devices.

Language Software:

                A computer can understand and carry out only such instructions as are coded in machine language. Instructions coded in binary format are extremely tedious to write. Hence instruction in the first instance, are written in English which are the converted by the computer itself into machine language with the help of language software. Language software covers Assembler, Compilers, and Interpreters.

·         Assembler: It translates instructions written in symbolic language into binary form understood by computer hardware.

·         Compiler:

C Overview

C is a structured programming language developed by Dennis Ritchie in 1973 at Bell Laboratories. It is one of the most popular computer languages today because of its structure, high-level abstraction, machine independent feature. C language was developed with UNIX operating system, so it is strongly associated with UNIX, which is one of the most popular network operating system in use today and heart of internet data superhighway.

The root of all modern languages is ALGOL, introduced in 1960s. It was the first computer language to use block structure.

In 1967, Martin Richards developed a language called BCPL (Basic Combined Programming Language) mainly for writing system software.

In the year 1970, using the concepts of BCPL, Ken Thompson developed a language called B. It was used to create earlier versions of UNIX operating System at Bell Laboratories.

·         Both B and BCPL were type less system programming languages

·         C was evolved from ALGOL, BCPL and B by Dennis Ritchie at the Bell Laboratories in 1972.

·         C added the concept of data types

·         Since C was developed along with the UNIX operating system, it is strongly associated with UNIX.

·         The language became more popular after the publication of the book “The C Programming Language” by Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie in 1978. The book was so popular that the language came to be known as”K & R C”.

·         Later on it was made an American Standard (ANSI C) and then International (ISO).

·         C99 is a standardized version of C which was done in 1999; so the name C99.

History of C Language

C language has evolved from three different structured language ALGOL, BCPL and B by Dennis Ritchie. It uses many concepts from these languages and introduced many new concepts such as data types, struct, and pointer. In 1988, the language was formalized by American National Standard Institute(ANSI). In 1990, a version of C language was approved by the International Standard Organization(ISO) and that version of C is also referred to as C89.