C-Programming-Language-Book
The C-Programming-Language-Book, often simply referred to as "K&R" after its authors, Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie, is a seminal text in the field of computer science. Here are some key points about this influential book:
- First Edition: The first edition was published in 1978, written by Dennis Ritchie, one of the creators of the C programming language, and Brian Kernighan. It served as the de facto standard for the C language until the ANSI C standard was formalized.
- Second Edition: The second edition, released in 1988, was updated to reflect the ANSI C standard (ANSI X3.159-1989). This edition included changes to the language to make it more robust and portable across different platforms.
- Content: The book provides an introduction to programming in C, covering topics such as:
- Types, operators, and expressions
- Control flow
- Functions and program structure
- Input and output
- Pointers and arrays
- Structures
- Influence:
- The book has influenced countless programmers and has been used as a textbook in universities around the world.
- It has shaped the way C is taught and understood, with many considering it the gold standard for learning C programming.
- The style of programming introduced in K&R has become synonymous with clear, concise, and efficient C code.
- Historical Context: At the time of its initial release, there was no formal standard for C. The book itself served as an informal standard, which was later formalized by ANSI. The C language was developed at Bell Labs as part of the development of the Unix operating system, where both authors were involved.
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