Who this book is for

When this book was conceived, it was intended for two very diverse audiences, the absolute programming beginner and the experienced programmer who wants to learn C. Each of these audiences has very different needs.

For the programming beginner, I have written this book as if I were sitting beside you, explaining the most important concepts and practices you need to know to become a successful C programmer. I have tried to explain every concept thoroughly and have reinforced each concept with a working program. The beginner should be familiar with the general operation of their computer; no other knowledge is assumed.

For the experienced programmer, I have presented the full range of C syntax as well as common C idioms. You may skim the explanations and focus primarily on the source code provided. The programs are intended to provide a reference to C syntax.

For both, there are over 100 working programs that demonstrate both the syntax of C as well as the flavor of C programming idioms – things that are common in C but not found in other languages. I have sprinkled in programming practices and techniques that have served me well in my nearly 35 years of experience.