- Learn essential C concepts such as variables, data structures, functions, loops, and pointers

- Grasp the core programming aspects that form the base of many modern programming languages

- Work with updated code samples and cover array declaration and initialization in detail in this new edition

The foundation for many modern programming languages such as C++, C#, JavaScript, and Go, C is widely used as a system programming language as well as for embedded systems and high-performance computing. With this book, you'll be able to get up to speed with C in no time.

The book takes you through basic programming concepts and shows you how to implement them in the C programming language. Throughout the book, you'll create and run programs that demonstrate essential C concepts, such as program structure with functions, control structures such as loops and conditional statements, and complex data structures. As you make progress, you'll get to grips with in-code documentation, testing, and validation methods. This new edition expands upon the use of enumerations, arrays, and additional C features, and provides two working programs based on the code used in the book. What's more, this book uses the method of intentional failure, where you'll develop a working program and then purposely break it to see what happens, thereby learning how to recognize possible mistakes when they happen.

By the end of this C programming book, you'll have developed basic programming skills in C that can be easily applied to other programming languages and have gained a solid foundation for you to build on as a programmer.

- Implement fundamental programming concepts through C programs

- Understand the importance of creating complex data types and the functions to manipulate them

- Develop good coding practices and learn to write clean code

- Validate your programs before developing them further

- Use the C Standard Library functions and understand why it is advantageous

- Build and run a multi-file program with Make

- Get an overview of how C has changed since its introduction and where it is going

If you're an absolute beginner who has basic familiarity with operating a computer, this book will help you learn the most fundamental concepts and practices that you need to know to become a successful C programmer. If you're an experienced programmer, you'll find the full range of C syntax as well as common C idioms covered in the book useful.

Table of Contents

Running Hello, world

Understanding Program Structure

Working with Basic Data Types

Using Variables and Assignments

Exploring Operators and Expressions

Exploring Conditional Program Flow

Exploring Loops and Iterations

Creating and Using Enumerations

Creating and Using Structures

Creating Custom Data Types with Typedef

Working with Arrays

Working with Multi-dimensional Arrays

Using Pointers

Understanding Arrays and Pointers

Working with Strings

Creating and Using More Complex Structures

Understanding Memory Allocation and Lifetime

Using Dynamic Memory Allocation

Exploring Formatted Output

Getting Input From the Command Line

Exploring Formatted Input

Working with Files

Using File Input and File Output

Working with Multi-File Programs

Understanding Scope

Building Multi-File Programs with Make

Creating Two Card Programs

Appendix