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Suraj Vishwakarma
Suraj Vishwakarma

Posted on • Updated on • Originally published at surajondev.com

Is C Most Underrated Programming Language?

Introduction

C was the first programming language that I learned in systematic ways, thanks to my college. At that time I used to think about where I am going to use this language but in books, it wasn't clean like water, just a paragraph about it.

C

I see C is not a very popular language among beginners and even professionals, so today we are going to look into the use of the C language in the industry.


Operating System

Program scripted in C language gets executed with speed as compared to other assembly languages. C is primarily used in developing various operating systems.

Operating System

The operating system using C language

  • Linux
  • Unix Kernel
  • Microsoft Windows Utilities
  • Android Operating System
  • Many other Modern OS

Development of New Language

C, directly and indirectly, helps in the development of many other programming languages due to its simplicity and efficiency in the execution of code.

Development of New Language

The language developed using C

  • C++ (C with classes)
  • D
  • Java
  • Javascript
  • Perl
  • Python
  • And many more


Embedded System

C language is used in an embedded system because of direct access to the hardware level, presence of C compiler, dynamic memory allocation. It plays a key role in performing a specific function by the processor.

Embedded System

Embedded System using C language

  • MP3 Player
  • Video game console
  • Digital Camera
  • Much More

Graphics and Games

C language heavily involved in game development and contribute to the development of various games.

C language can be used by beginners to learn game development.

Game Development

Games Developed using C language

  • Old games like
    • Doom
    • Quake I, II, and III
    • Return to Castle Wolfenstein
  • Modern games like
    • Chess
    • Bouncing Ball
    • Archery


Computation Platforms

Algorithm and Data structure are swiftly managed by C programming language and it helps in faster computation. This helped C to be used for a higher degree of calculation.

Computation Platforms

Uses of C in Computation Platforms

  • MATLAB
  • Mathematica

Discuss

  • Is C the most underrated programming language? and Why?
  • If not then which is the most underrated programming language and Why?

Last Note

Thanks for reading the blog post.

Top comments (37)

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madza profile image
Madza

Props to Dennis Ritchie for being light years ahead of his time 🧙‍♂️✨

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patarapolw profile image
Pacharapol Withayasakpunt

If I remembered correctly, he was unfortunate to die the same day as Steve Jobs.

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madza profile image
Madza

Within the week, RIP both 🙏

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surajondev profile image
Suraj Vishwakarma

Two legends ❤️ RIP

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surajondev profile image
Suraj Vishwakarma

Yess he was that made this language very useful

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siy profile image
Sergiy Yevtushenko

C was great at the time of invention. It's still OK, but definitely not underrated. Probably the most underrated language by now is Rust. Rust basically puts resource management (not just memory) into the hearth of language and does this in style and with nearly zero performance impact.

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zilti_500 profile image
Daniel Ziltener

The most underrated language(family) will always be Lisp

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surajondev profile image
Suraj Vishwakarma

It's among the oldest programming language that we know. Very few people today used this language and don't know anyone using it.

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zilti_500 profile image
Daniel Ziltener

Clojure is fairly popular.

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surajondev profile image
Suraj Vishwakarma

It's more of a modern languages than other member of the group

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Suraj Vishwakarma

Look like Rust need to be know to other for resource management.

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siy profile image
Sergiy Yevtushenko

There are a lot of articles about memory management in Rust. This one is quite good at explaining the advantages of Rust resource management model at mode general level (i.e. for other resources, not just memory).

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surajondev profile image
Suraj Vishwakarma

Sure I will check that to learn more about it

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nemanajay profile image
Ajay Neman • Edited

I will recommend instead of starting with c. A newbie can start with c++ . because c is the preprocessor of c++ and therefore all the features of c are included in c++ and the plus point of c++ is that you can learn the concept of oops also which is not there in c.

Btw informative article . respect to your hardwork. 👍 😊

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rwalroth profile image
rwalroth

You can implement oop in C, just using a struct and functions which accept a pointer to said struct. You don't get private members or attributes but the same is true of Python

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nemanajay profile image
Ajay Neman

Implementing oop is not only limited for struct. There are other concept like inheritance,polymorphism, Encapsulation , constructors are also there which we cannot implement in c.

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surajondev profile image
Suraj Vishwakarma

Okay that's something interesting and it will make C more useful.

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slavius profile image
Slavius

There's objective-c which is a superset of C.

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Suraj Vishwakarma

Okay I have to try it, I wasn't knowing this. Thanks 👍

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slavius profile image
Slavius

It's been usperseded by Swift as it was invented to develop MacOS applications int he '90s.

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surajondev profile image
Suraj Vishwakarma

Thanks for the information and it will help many to understand it.

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funbeedev profile image
Fum

I think C is very underrated! But I'm highly biased since I work with Embedded systems and C is my main language 😆. Really though, I think it's underrated in terms of the number of people who would consider C as their first language. Or even in terms of people who eventually want to pick it up and develop low level programs with C.

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Suraj Vishwakarma

Yes in such cases C is very underrated and very few people today talk about and recognise as a language that make a way for other Languages.

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mindninjax profile image
Rishabh Singh ⚡

I personally think C is a brilliant language and is beginner-friendly for anyone who is new to programming. Yeah, it's true that C is a bit old language and nowadays we have languages which can do a lot more than C but I really don't think that C is underrated in any form. C is also the most popular language of 2019.

Well, there are many forgotten languages which even I have forgot... xD

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surajondev profile image
Suraj Vishwakarma

Yeah, C is great for beginners and has concept that are used my many Language today. But in mainstream, people don't talk about C.

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scroung720 profile image
scroung720 • Edited

I highly recommend everyone to read the book created for this language. The C Programming Language is one of the most enjoyable programming reads I have found. Every time I think about writing a book I wish I can write as good as Dennis Ritchie. I can remember the first time I read that book on college, it was my awakening to professional programming, I realized I was doing all wrong.

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Suraj Vishwakarma

Nice we can give it a try 🔥🔥

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patarapolw profile image
Pacharapol Withayasakpunt

It is possible, and probably also encouraged, to write C language along side Golang. Not sure about C++.

Also in Golang, you can choose which part of C (cgo) to compile.

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surajondev profile image
Suraj Vishwakarma

That's great 🔥🔥🔥

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agurex profile image
Augusto Hernández

why Golang?

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patarapolw profile image
Pacharapol Withayasakpunt • Edited

Python and Node.js also have C binding, but I haven't seen anywhere else that I am given to compile custom parts of SQLite myself. (All flags unchecked by default.)

But I do also see that people do compile COLLATION in Rust SQLite.

I also have written cgo in Webview. Golang just made it convenient, with declarations in comments above import "C".

I don't have enough experience in R, LaTeX or Lua to say anything about them.

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surajondev profile image
Suraj Vishwakarma

Thanks you for the peice of information 🔥🔥🔥

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hi_artem profile image
Artem

C has its niche, but for most mainstream projects, it is not worth to sacrifice development speed without seeing any substantial benefits.

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slavius profile image
Slavius

I read on Hacker News the other day that Rust is becoming faster overall in benchmarks than C.

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Suraj Vishwakarma

Rust is becoming popular and powerful

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Ivan Jeremic

I think all JS Engines are C++ but anyhow good article.

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Suraj Vishwakarma

And C++ is directed influenced by C and thanks for appreciation