C is a general purpose programming language developed by Dennis Ritchie in 1972 at Bell Laboratories. It was mainly created to develop the UNIX operating system. C is simple, fast, and powerful, which makes it one of the most popular programming languages for beginners as well as professionals.
C allows programmers to write programs that can directly interact with computer memory and hardware. It supports structured programming, which means a big problem can be divided into smaller parts called functions. This makes programs easy to understand, write, and maintain.
Many modern programming languages like C++, Java, and Python are based on C. Because of its speed, portability, and wide use in system software, embedded systems, and applications, learning C is very important for anyone starting a career in programming.
C Installation
You can run C on your computer using the following two methods:
To run C programs on your computer, you need to install a C compiler such as GCC. A compiler converts your C code into a program that the computer can understand and execute. Setting up a compiler is recommended for serious learning and practice.
If you want to start coding without installing anything, you can use a free online C compiler. It allows you to write, compile, and run C programs directly in your web browser, making it quick and convenient for beginners.
Install and Run C on Your Computer
To run C programs on your own system, you first need to install a C compiler. A compiler is a software tool that translates C code into machine-readable instructions. The most commonly used C compiler is GCC (GNU Compiler Collection).
On Windows, you can install GCC using tools like MinGW or Code::Blocks. On Linux, GCC usually comes pre-installed, or it can be installed using the package manager. On macOS, GCC can be installed by installing Xcode Command Line Tools. After installation, you can write C programs in any text editor, save the file with a .c extension, compile it, and then run the executable file from the command line.
Once the compiler is installed, you can practice C programming offline, build larger programs, and understand how real-world C applications are developed.
Steps to Install C Compiler (GCC)
Below are simple step-by-step instructions to install a C compiler on different operating systems.
Step 1: Download MinGW
Open your browser and search for MinGW download.
Download the MinGW installer.
Step 2: Install MinGW
Run the installer.
Select Basic Setup.
Mark mingw32-gcc-g++ and mingw32-base.
Click Apply and install.
Step 3: Set Environment Variable
Open This PC → Properties → Advanced System Settings.
Click Environment Variables.
Under System Variables, select Path → Edit.
Add the MinGW bin folder path (example: C:\MinGW\bin).
Click OK.
Step 4: Verify Installation
Open Command Prompt.
Type:
1gcc --version
If version details appear, installation is successful.
