Programming languages and computer programming have gained much traction in the recent decade. Advancements in software development and hardware improvements have made computer programming advancements possible.
This has made this an excellent career prospect for many youngsters who want to be associated with the programming world.
Programming languages, especially C, have been prevalent. C programming is a computer programming language used to develop software and applications.
If you are new in the programming field and want to start with C programming, there are, however, certain basic things that you must understand to have mastery over the programming language. The concept of compiling using an online compiler is one among them.
Online compilers are necessary for beginners when it comes to learning and practicing code.
In this blog, we will learn how to compile your code in C programming language using online C compilers. We will also delve into the structure of the C program.
Let us now delve into C programming and learn all about compiling your code in online C compilers and its usage in the learning process of aspiring developers.
What is C programming?
C programming is a high-level and general-purpose-built language used for developing applications and software like embedded systems and operating systems, as well as those applications and software that need low-level access to the computer’s hardware. The paramount traction towards C is its efficiency, flexibility, and portability on top of all the other features.
Speaking of features, let us list down some of the features of C programming.
Features of C programming
Here are some of the main features of C programming.
Efficient and Simple
C programming language has a simple syntax that does not overcomplicate things for the newbie. This language focuses on the user’s comprehension and allows for robust applications and software development. It is for this reason that C is said to be an introductory language.
Fast
C is a statistically typed language, making it much faster to code in C than in other dynamic languages. Also, it is much easier to compile and execute code in C.
Portability
This feature of C programming is probably the best. Simply put, C language is machine-independent, which implies that you may run a portion of C code on other machines with no or little machine-specific modifications.
Extensibility
This feature of C programming allows you to add new features to the already-written program with some changes in the code. This extensibility is fairly quick and allows for program modifications even at the advanced stages of development.
Function-Rich Libraries
C programming has a lot of inbuilt libraries with many functionalities that help the C programmer, especially a beginner, to ease their programming burden. This feature lets you start writing a program from the ground up. The basic coding of specific programs is already in the library, and you can choose from it to save time and maximize efficiency.
Now let us talk about the structure of the C program
Structure of the C program
The structure of the C program is divided into 6 parts. This allows for easy reading, understanding, and identifying the particular part of the program. This makes processes and execution in C much more accessible. These parts are:
Documentation
This part consists of the program’s name, description, creation time, and date. This part starts off the process and is specified in the form of comments.
Preprocessor Section
This section will define all the header files in the pre-processing section of the program. The use of these header files is to code from other that is comparatively better than our own.
Definition
Preprocessors process the source code program before the process of compilation. The directives of the preprocessor begin with the symbol ‘#.’Whenever the compiler encounters this name, it gets replaced by the actual defined code, making it much easier and effortless.
Global Declaration
This section has all the function declarations, global variables, and static variables that can be used anywhere in the C program once declared.
Main() Function
This is the central part of C. Curly brace performs operations like execution and declaration in this section. The return type of the main() function can be either int or void.
Sub Programs
In this section of the program, user-defined functions are invoked. When they are called from the main() function or from outside the main() function, control of the program is transferred to the called function. The user specifies these according to their needs.
Now let us learn about how to use an online C compiler to compile the code in C
Code compiling using an online C compiler
An online C compiler can make it very easy and efficient for you to learn and practice your code. It is pretty simple to use an online compiler for C programming. The step-by-step guide will let you know how to compile code using an online C compiler.
- Visit the compiler website: Open a web browser and type in the URL for the online C compiler, such as JDoodle.
- Write your code: Using the text editor in the online C compiler, write your code.
- Editing: Editing your code makes it more understandable by using tools like syntax highlighting.
- Compile: Locate and click the “Compile” or “Run” button. The compiler will process your code.
- Error Check and Fix: The compiler will display notifications if there is an error. Understanding these error notifications is important to find and locate problems in your code. If there are any mistakes, edit them out of your code.
- Recompile: After ensuring the issues have been resolved, clock on “compile” again.
- Run the code: After the compilation process has ended, you can Run your program and view the output of your program.
Conclusion
Online C compilers have become a mainstay for beginners allowing them to practice and learn the code without needing to install any application. This allows them to master the C program’s structure and use these tools to their advantage.
