Home » C programming language

Advantages and Disadvantages of C Programming Language

Learn about the various advantages and disadvantages of C programming language.
Submitted by IncludeHelp, on February 20, 2022

C is a procedure-oriented programming language, it is also known as the mother programming language of all programming languages. Anyone who wants to write their programmers will find the C programming language to be an excellent choice. It is not constrained by the hardware or operating system on which it is installed, and has the simplicity of its features that allows for further optimization and extension of its capabilities.

The following table gives an idea on the C language advantages and disadvantages –

S.No.	Advantages of C	Disadvantages of C
1	Simple to comprehend	Lack of OOP's concepts
2	Basic building block	Programming skills required to learn
3	Powerful and efficient language	Not efficient as compare to Python
4	Rich in library functions	Concept of namespace
5	Portable language	Runtime checking
6	Simple to write	Only suitable to programmers not for all
7	Simple to debug	Programming skills required to code and run
8	Low cost	Lack of open source
9	Reserve words	Difficult to memories reserve words
10	The ability to extend itself	Lot of technical expertization required
11	Structured programming language	Difficult to learn
12	Middle-level programming language	Programming features needed to better understand
13	Easy to implementation of algorithms and data structures	Not best fitted to those who do not understand algorithms
14	Fastest compilation	Understanding on compiler concepts required to comprehend the compilation process
15	Procedural programming language	Coding skills required
16	Dynamic memory allocation	Understanding on data structure concepts required
17	System-programming	Coding and data structure skills required to work on system programming
18	Ability to incorporate user functions	Library functions and its understanding required to write user define functions
19	Runtime performance	Programming skills needed
20	Implementation of algorithms and data structures	Algorithmic concepts are complex

C programming has a number of advantages; the most notable advantages are described in details below:

Advantages of C programming Language

1. Simple to comprehend

One of the primary reasons that people prefer C over other programming languages is the simplicity of the language. C is a highly portable programming language, which means that programs written in it are significantly faster and more efficient. As a result, learning C is less difficult than learning any other programming language. As a result of the limited number of keywords and symbols used in C, we can quickly grasp the fundamental concepts. It is also important to note that we do not need to be computer science experts in order to get started with C programming. All that is required of us is to read through some online tutorials and then begin writing our own code. In addition, in the C programming language, there are system-generated functions and user-defined functions.

2. Building block for many other programming languages

The C programming language serves as a foundation for many other languages that are currently in use. This language supports a wide range of data types and has a powerful set of operators. As a result, programs written in the C programming language are efficient, fast, and simple to understand. Generally speaking, C is considered to be the most fundamental programming language, and it is recommended that you learn it before learning any other programming language. Many programming languages, including Python, C++, Java, and others, are built on the foundation of the C programming language.

3. Powerful and efficient Language

C is a robust programming language because it contains a large number of data types and operators, allowing us to perform a wide range of operations on a single platform. Assemblers like this one are referred to as "portable assemblers," and they are used for low-level programming that can be compiled with a variety of different compilers. Because of C's efficiency, it is simple to write efficient code, which in turn results in improved runtime performance at runtime.

4. Rich in library functions

The C programming language includes a large number of built-in functions, which are divided into two categories: system-generated functions and user-defined functions. In C Compiler, many general functions can be used to develop a program, and the programmer can also create a function that meets their specific needs, which is referred to as a user-generated/defined function. C comes with a large number of built-in functions that make it easier for programmers to write programs in general. scanf() and printf() are examples of functions that can be called without the need to declare them first because they are automatically linked in by the compiler. There are a variety of libraries available that provide an even greater selection of these types of function calls, allowing us to concentrate on developing our functions.

5. Portable language

Because C is based on ASCII characters, it is compatible with a wide range of operating systems and platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, Android, and iOS. C is extremely flexible, or we can say machine-independent, which allows us to run our code on any machine without having to make any changes, or with only a few changes, to the program. As a result, we are able to run our C programs from any location, regardless of where we live.

6. Simple to write

When it comes to programmers, C is a widely used and efficient language that allows them to create their software without having to worry about syntax errors. If we are not familiar with coding, then using the structured language C will assist us in learning the basics of the language. When compared to other programming languages, C allows us to develop solutions that are more efficient and effective in their execution.

7. Simple to debug

Because C does not necessitate the use of complex statements such as loops, conditionals, variables, functions, arrays, pointers, and so on, we can debug our code with relative ease. For example, if we run into problems while executing our program, we can simply press CTRL+D to terminate the process immediately and effectively. When we reach the problematic statement, we can simply go back to one line and continue working until we reach the solution.

8. Low cost

If we want to create something from the ground up, the programming language C is worth considering. Fortunately, our program's structure is straightforward, so we won't have to spend too much time trying to figure out whether we made a mistake or not when developing it. If we do decide to hire someone else to complete the task, they will only charge us a fraction of the amount we would have paid ourselves.

9. Reserve words

In ANSI C, there are only 32 keywords, each of which has a large number of built-in functions. When writing a program in C, these functions are extremely useful.

10. The ability to extend itself

C is an extremely extensible language. Several different languages, including Java and Objective-C, have been used to extend the capabilities of the language. With preprocessors, it is also possible to extend C in the same way, which means that C has the capability of extending itself. The C language has its own set of functions in the C library, which is separate from the rest of the library. As a result, using these functions becomes much simpler. We can simplify code by adding our functions to the C Standard Library, which will help us save time.

11. Structured programming language

C is a structure-based language. It refers to the process of breaking down issues or complex problems into smaller blocks or functional units. Testing and maintenance are made easier and simpler as a result of the modular structure. A complete program is formed by the collection of these modules. The modular structure of the program makes debugging, testing, and maintenance much easier to accomplish.

12. Middle-level programming language

C is classified as a middle-level programming language, which means that it can be used for both high-level and low-level programming tasks. High-level programming languages are supported, as is the use of kernels and drivers in low-level programming, as well as system software applications written in the high-level programming language.

13. Easy to implementation of algorithms and data structures

The use of algorithms and data structures in C has resulted in extremely fast and smooth computations for program computations. As a result, the C programming language can be used in complex calculations and operations.

14. Fastest Compilation

If we want to be able to execute our application quickly, then C is most likely the best option for us to use. Because C makes use of fewer instructions than other programming languages such as Java, Ruby, PHP, and so on, it is more efficient. The C compiler is extremely fast and produces machine code in a short amount of time. In a matter of seconds, nearly a thousand lines of code can be compiled together for use. The C Compiler improves the efficiency of the code, allowing for faster execution.

15. Procedural programming language

For its functions and subroutines, C adheres to a strict set of guidelines. The use of procedural programming makes it easier for C to identify code structure and to solve any problem in a specific series of code as the language grows in popularity. In the C programming language, users write procedures or functions to carry out their tasks. Because of the way a procedure-oriented language is structured, it is extremely simple to learn (algorithm to execute the statements we write). For example, if we want to write an application in a procedure-oriented language, we must first frame an algorithm and then begin converting it into a function. Before using variables and functions in procedural programming, the variables and functions must be declared.

16. Dynamic memory allocation

C allows for dynamic memory allocation to be used. It implies that we have complete freedom to allocate memory at run time. During the course of a dynamic allocation, we have no way of knowing how much space will be required for our data structure at any given point in time. However, if we use static allocation, we must first set aside a fixed amount of memory before we can begin running the application. As a result, we have greater flexibility than other programming languages such as Java, which require all variables to be declared as final.

17. System-programming

The programming system used by C is called a system-based programming system. It indicates that the programming for the hardware devices has been completed. System programming is the process of designing and writing computer programs that allow the computer hardware to communicate with the programmer and the user, resulting in the efficient execution of application software on the computer system. System programming is a subfield of computer science that includes both design and writing computer programs. An example of system programs would be a computer operating system and firmware, programming tools such as compiling and assembling programs and I/O routines, interpreting and scheduling programs, loaders, and linkers, as well as the runtime libraries for the computer programming languages.

18. Ability to incorporate user functions

Another significant advantage of the C programming language is its ability to be extended. When we look at C programs as a collection of functions, we see that they are supported by the C library. This makes it much easier to incorporate our functions into the C library. Because of the large number of available functions, the task of programming becomes straightforward.

19. Runtime performance

When it comes to low-level programming, C is known as a "portable assembler" because it can be compiled with a variety of different compiling environments. Because of C's efficiency, it is simple to write efficient code, which in turn results in improved runtime performance at runtime. Because of its adaptability, programmers can make use of a wide range of libraries.

20. Implementation of algorithms and data structures

C is a fantastic programming language for implementing algorithms and data structures. C, despite the fact that it appears to be a low-level language, has been used to develop some of the most widely-used software in existence, including operating systems, compilers, debuggers, and other tools.

Disadvantages of C programming Language

The following are some of the disadvantages of the C programming language:

1. Concept of OOPs

C is a powerful programming language, but it does not support the concepts of OOPs (Inheritance, Polymorphism, Encapsulation, Abstraction, and Data Hiding), which are commonly used in other programming languages. C simply adheres to the procedural programming approach to programming.

2. Run-time checking

The errors or bugs in the C programming language are not detected after each line of code, as is the case with other programming languages. Instead, after the program has been written, the compiler displays all of the errors. When dealing with large programs, it makes code checking extremely difficult.

3. No strict type checking

There is no strict type of checking in this program. We can, for example, pass an integer value as input.

4. Concept of namespace

Namespaces are not supported by the C programming language. Because names can be used in multiple contexts, a namespace is structured as a series of commands that can be executed in succession. We will be unable to declare two variables with the same name if we do not use namespaces.

However, C programming does not have this feature, and as a result, we are unable to define a variable with the same name in C.

5. Lack of Exception Handling

Programming languages have many important features, one of which is the ability to handle exceptions. Different anomalies and bugs can occur during the compilation of the code. Exception Handling enables us to identify and respond to errors in a timely and appropriate manner. C, on the other hand, does not exhibit this critical characteristic.

6. Constructor or destructor

There are no constructors or destructors in the C programming language. Constructors and destructors provide support for the fundamental functionality of Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). Both are member functions that are created as soon as a class object is created, and they are both called by the same name. The function Object () {[native code] } and destructor will be covered in greater depth later on.

7. Low level of abstraction

C is a small and fundamental machine language that has the least amount of data hiding and the most exclusive visibility, both of which have an impact on the security of the language.

8. Lack of inheritance

C doesn't support the feature of inheritance. It shows that the methods cannot be inherited.

C Language Tutorial »

---