Unmatched Performance and Speed

1. Unmatched Performance and Speed
   C is the fastest executing code of all programming languages, because it is a compiled language. C is a low memory usage compiled type of language, unlike other compiled languages (e.g., Java, or Python), which require a complex runtime environment (virtual machines, heavy garbage collection). C programs execute entirely out of the hardware and therefore run very quickly. Because of this quality, C is used for applications that require High-Performance Computing (HPC) or real-time systems... Read More

2. Direct Hardware Manipulation
   C is also one of the most powerful programming languages because of its capability to use pointers for directly accessing memory addresses and have direct access to all available system resources; therefore giving developers very fine-grained control of system resources and also very important in today’s rapidly evolving world where embedded systems, including IoT (internet of things), have become so common since there are a multitude of different types of microcontrollers, as well as sensors, used to create devices and robots that operate within those microcontrollers as well as directly with the hardware itself via registers and ports as well as via the various types of hardware interrupts available...Read More

3. Portability ("Write Once, Run Anywhere")
   C is very portable. A standard C program can be compiled to run on just about any platform (including both supercomputers and tiny microcontrollers) with few modifications. This is due to the fact that compilers are available for nearly every CPU architecture (x86, ARM, RISC-V, etc.). Hence, system programming uses C as its common programming language...Read More

4. The Foundation of Modern Technology
   Learning C provides a deep understanding of how computers actually work. This is because most modern languages are built on top of C:

Operating Systems: The kernels of Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android are written largely in C.
Interpreters/Compilers: The Python interpreter, the PHP engine, and the core of Node.js are written in C.
Databases: MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Oracle are written in C.
Knowing C allows developers to debug issues at a lower level and contribute to the core infrastructure of the tech world...Read More

1. Embedded Systems and IoT Dominance Everywhere you look today, smart "edge" devices abound. The C language is the most widely used programming language for creating embedded systems, and is found in use in many of the common applications we encounter today, such as smart thermostats, automotive ECUs, medical equipment, and avionics systems, to name just a few. Compared to most modern programming languages, C uses a minimal amount of RAM and storage, making it ideal for low-power devices that may be resource-constrained...Read More

6.** Tiny Runtime and Library Size**
Modern programming languages come with very large standard libraries and their respective runtimes, taking up multiple gigabytes of space. The C programming language, on the other hand, is very lightweight compared to these other languages; in fact it has a very small standard library and generates a much smaller binary size than they do. This makes the C programming language an ideal choice for bootloaders and firmware as they have storage space available in kilobytes rather than gigabytes...Read More

1. Mature Ecosystem and Stability

For over 50 years, C has been a well-established programming language. Toolchains comprising of compilers (such as GCC and Clang), debuggers, and library facilities surrounding C are mature, stable, and optimized. Since there are no impending “breaking changes” within the C language specifications; therefore, it is extremely important that this language option remains suitable for use on long-term projects that will endure (for example) in the aerospace, automotive, and financial services industries, while supporting hundreds of thousands of additional entities that will require software maintenance over many decades...Read More

1. High Demand in Legacy and Critical Infrastructure Startups often utilize React or Go, and current start-ups may eventually be converted to or replaced by older/callback-based systems. Many major commercial financial institutions have built their complex business applications on top of C-based technologies. Critical systems like financial and network infrastructure rely upon an extensive amount of existing C-based legacy codes and databases. Therefore, developers will consistently have a significant opportunity to develop/maintain/enhance security of C-based technology systems at high compensation levels...Read More

Summary
C is used today less as a language for developing web applications or mobile application front ends, but rather it plays a part in developing platforms that run these types of applications due to its high speed, very low amount of resources needed, complete control of the machine, and irreplaceable benefits in embedded systems, operating systems and high-performance computing.