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3.7: Summary

  • Page ID
    35809
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    Here are some things to keep in the back of your mind when learning C:

    • C is terse. You can do a lot with a little code.
    • As it allows you to do almost anything, a novice can get into trouble very quickly.
    • It is a relatively thin language, meaning that most “system functions” are not part of the language per se, but come from link-time libraries.
    • Function calls, function calls, and more function calls!
    • Source code is free flow, not line oriented. A “line” of code is usually terminated with a semicolon.
    • Shortcuts allow experts to create code that is almost indecipherable by normal programmers.
    • All variables must be declared before use (not free flow as in Python).
    • Variables can be global or local in scope. That is, a local variable can be “known” in one place of the program and not in another.

    This page titled 3.7: Summary is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by James M. Fiore via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.