- Bedrock of Software – Part 1: The Origins of C
- Bedrock of Software – Part 2: C and Unix – A Symbiotic Relationship
- Bedrock of Software – Part 3: The Influence of C on Modern Programming Languages
Welcome to the third part of our blog series, “C, Bedrock of Software.” In the first part, we explored the origins of C. In the first part, we discussed its creation at Bell Labs and its role in the development of Unix. In the second part, we examined the symbiotic relationship between C and Unix. We saw how they evolved together, shaping the future of computing.
In this part, we will focus on how C has influenced modern programming languages. We will see its impact on popular languages like Java, C#, C++, Objective-C, and others. This will show how C’s legacy continues in today’s programming world.
Direct Descendants of C
C++
Bjarne Stroustrup developed C++ as a spin off from C. He wanted to add object-oriented features to C. C++ retained much of C’s syntax and structure. This made it easy for C programmers to transition to C++. They did not have to learn a completely new language but a new programming technique and approach.
C++ introduced several key improvements. It added new concepts which doesn’t exist in C in order to maintain object oriented principles, like classes and inheritance. Polymorphism was another important feature which enables functions to operate on objects of different classes. These enhancements made C++ a language for building complex software in an object oriented fashion.
Objective-C
Objective-C added Smalltalk-style messaging to C. This made it a powerful language for developing applications on Apple’s platforms. Objective-C played a crucial role in the development of macOS and iOS. It combined C’s efficiency with the flexibility of object-oriented programming.
Objective-C’s impact on the Apple ecosystem was significant. It became the primary language for developing applications for Mac and iOS devices. This led to the creation of many popular applications and helped establish Apple’s software development environment. On the other hand, Objective C also has its object oriented elements from a forgotten language called SmallTalk.
Influences on Modern Languages
By influencing languages like C++ and Objective-C, C has left a lasting legacy. Its core features continue to shape modern programming languages and practices. Now, we will explore more examples of C’s influence on contemporary programming.
Java
Java borrowed many elements from C and C++. It adopted their syntax and semantics for example. This makes Java familiar to C programmers. However, Java introduced a powerful standard library and a virtual machine. This allowed Java programs to run on any platform without modification. Java improved upon C’s manual memory management with garbage collection. This automated process reduced the risk of memory leaks and pointer errors. Developers no longer needed to manually allocate and free memory, which simplified coding and improved program stability.
C#
C# was designed by Microsoft with many similarities to C and C++. Its syntax is close to these languages, easing the learning curve for C programmers. However, C# includes several modern features to support application development on the .NET framework. C# introduced properties, events, and a strong type system. Properties simplified data encapsulation. Events enabled responsive and interactive applications. The strong type system enhanced code reliability and reduced runtime errors. These features made C# a powerful tool for modern software development.
PHP
PHP was designed for web development and scripting, making it a popular choice for building dynamic websites. It borrowed from C and Java while focusing on server-side programming. Over time, PHP evolved into a powerful language for web applications, with widespread support for databases and frameworks. It has still been one of the most popular languages in use and it is the primary language. used in backend. I wrote a post about PHP in the past.
Perl
Perl may not be familiar for the new generations but once upon a time, it had been known for its text-processing capabilities, drew heavily from C and shell scripting. It became a popular choice for system administration and web development. Perl’s flexible syntax and support for regular expressions made it a go-to for quick scripting and powerful automation tasks. As of 2020s, it is one of the language at the edge of extinction.
D
As one of my favourite programming languages, D emerged as an alternative to C++, aiming to simplify programming while maintaining efficiency. It retained the power of low-level programming but offered modern features like garbage collection and better modularity. D struck a balance between performance and ease of use, appealing to systems programmers. Check my blog post about D.
Swift
Swift was created by Apple to modernize application development for its platforms. It was designed to be safer, more expressive, and faster than Objective-C. Swift’s simpler syntax and focus on performance made it the new favorite for building apps in the Apple ecosystem.
JavaScript
JavaScript, though dynamically typed and prototype-based, borrowed C-like syntax. This familiarity helped programmers transition to JavaScript easily. Initially a simple scripting language, JavaScript has evolved into a powerful tool for web development.
JavaScript started as a client-side scripting language. Today, it is used on both client and server sides, thanks to environments like Node.js. This evolution has made JavaScript essential for modern web applications.
TypeScript
TypeScript builds on JavaScript, adding static typing and modern development tools to improve large-scale application development. It enables better error checking and cleaner, more maintainable code while still being compatible with existing JavaScript libraries and projects.
Go (Golang)
Go, developed by Google, was influenced by C’s simplicity and efficiency. It added modern features like garbage collection and concurrency primitives, making it suitable for contemporary systems programming. Go’s concurrency model is built around goroutines. These are lightweight threads managed by the Go runtime. This approach simplifies concurrent programming compared to traditional threading models in C.
Rust
Rust aims to provide the performance of C while ensuring memory safety. Its ownership model prevents common errors like null pointer dereferencing and data races. Rust’s borrow checker enforces strict rules on memory usage. This ensures safe memory management without needing a garbage collector. Rust’s approach combines safety with high performance, making it a strong choice for systems programming.
Conclusion
C has significantly influenced many modern programming languages. Its syntax and features are found in languages and its impact is evident in systems programming, education, and software development. C is likely to continue influencing future programming languages. Its principles of simplicity, efficiency, and control will remain relevant. Emerging languages may build on C’s foundation while introducing new paradigms and features.
Understanding C and its legacy is crucial for any programmer. It provides insight into the evolution of programming languages and practices. Learning C can enhance one’s programming skills and appreciation for the history of software development.
Suleyman Cabir Ataman, PhD