Writing a Hello World program in C looks easy and simple and involves a few steps. It can be very helpful to new programmers who are keen to start their careers in the software industry. It offers valuable information and supports understanding programming basics.
How to Write a Program in C?
Firstly, it ensures the proper software installation to run a C program correctly.
Secondly, it explains the simple process involved in running a software program.
Finally, the Hello World program in C offers learners a universal understanding of the basic syntax of programming languages. For instance, int main(), the first step, is a standard that helps the compiler start the source code.
However, before starting to write a program, there are particularly important criteria to include. They include,
1) Install a compiler that is specific to each programming language. Writing a program requires installing a compiler of choice because there are various choices and some of them include
2) Use a text editor such as Eclipse or Notepad.
Following, save with a name, the easiest choice is HelloWorld.c. After saving, start writing the code.
3) Write the Code:
Open the HelloWorld.c file, and enter the below code.
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
// Write C code here
printf("Hello World!!");
return 0;
}4) Subsequently, save in dot C file format.
5) Finally, run the program by calling it in the command prompt or any other compiler.
By typing cmd, one can call and execute the program.
Importance of Header Files:
#include <stdio.h> header files is known as a pre-processor directive.
Because below this line, we write the main() function, which denotes the program’s start or will start executing from the processor. Before the program enters the processor, the programmer gives some instructions. Therefore, it is known as a pre-processor directive. It is an instruction to #include <stdio.h> header files that contain various functions from already existing files. To access those functions, such as printf(), header files are inserted before compilation begins. As a result, during the
program execution, functions embedded inside these header files, such as printf () and scanf () functions, are directly inherited into the program without writing the code.
These <stdio.h> are located inside Dev C++, the C programming language compiler. So, if the programmer does not call the <stdio.h> header file, during program execution, there will be an error while calling the print f function.
In addition to printf() and scanf(), some other functions are also embedded inside these files, such as sqrt(), sin(), cos(), and many more. So, including <stdio.h> header files plays a significant role in programming.
Whenever a code starts with the # symbol, it is a pre-processor directive. The pre-processor statements and main() function do not end with a semicolon, whereas all the other statements in the C programming language end with a semicolon.
Where Does the Program Start to Execute?
The main() is the standard from where the program starts executing, irrespective of any programming language like C, Java, dot net, or any other language. As a result, main() is a function that will appear in the C programming language every time, and from here, the program starts to execute. The main() method also helps allocate space in the memory, which is helpful during program execution.
Notably, the main() function consists of either void or int as a return type, but not necessarily int alone. There are different ways to express the main() method. Some basic types are void main() and int main(). While void main() does not necessitate returning a value, int main() guides the function to return the value in integer form. Hence, during int declaration, it is mandatory to include return 0.
