Recently,I often hear this question: Teacher,C is it too old? Will it hinder the development of microcontrollers? Now with Python and some new languages, is learning C a waste of time?
1.The C language indeed has its quirks.
It is easy to make mistakes, such as misusing pointers, array out-of-bounds, forgetting to free memory… These errors can be quite troublesome for beginners, and debugging can be very challenging.
It is not flashy, unlike Python and Java, which come with various ready-made tools. There are advanced libraries and frameworks, and many low-level details require us to build them up ourselves.
The threshold is not low; to use C well, one must be well-versed in the ins and outs of microcontrollers, including registers, memory distribution, and timing.
2.The status of C as a general-purpose language is hard to shake.
Efficiency:C compiles to very compact and efficient machine code, which is essential for resource-constrained microcontrollers. For models with only a few KB of memory, C is the fundamental basis for survival. It allows you to directly command hardware, with control precision down to every clock cycle.
Universal language: For decades, the chip manuals, classic drivers, and mature protocol stacks for microcontrollers have almost all been written in C. Switching to other languages would make it very difficult to achieve the decades of accumulated toolchain ecosystem in a short time.
Adapters: From 8-bit microcontrollers to 32-bit high-performance processors, C can seamlessly adapt. Learning C provides a universal key to unlock different hardware platforms.
Compilers: All major microcontroller manufacturers provide mature C compilers.
3.New languages are helpers.
Python and C++: They do lower the barrier for prototyping and learning, but in strict real-time control, resource-constrained, and mass production projects, low-level C code remains a guarantee of performance and reliability.
Rust and others: They offer new ideas in memory safety and have great potential. However, in the microcontroller field, the maturity of the ecosystem, vendor support, and learning resources still lag behind C. Currently, they are more exploratory directions.
4.The future of microcontroller development is likely to be
1.C language+ model: The C language will still be the core of low-level programming. Tools that model in languages like Python serve as a supplement for upper-level application development, helping to improve efficiency and work collaboratively.
2.Continuous updates of toolchains: There will be smarter compilers, more powerful debugging tools, and better IDEs, which will continue to reduce the complexity and error rate of C development.
3.Better hardware: Manufacturers will provide better-packaged, validated C language libraries and middleware, allowing for efficient development without needing to delve into the details of registers.
Choosing development tools is always a trade-off. For ultra-low-power sensor nodes, C is still the first choice; for IoT gateways requiring complex logic, Python may be more efficient; for safety-critical brake controllers, Rust may have advantages.
Therefore, it is essential to root oneself in the C language and deeply understand the principles of hardware. On this basis, one can learn about new technologies such as RTOS and lightweight communication protocols, and understand the application scenarios of new tools like Rust and MicroPython. Just as a mechanic proficient in wrenches can learn to use new electric tools faster, they will never lose their core skills.