Many students who are new to microcontrollers often ask me:“Teacher, is C language only used to light up LEDs and control motors? Does learning it mean I can only do microcontroller development? Isn’t that too limiting?”In fact, C language is not such a “limited” language; it has already permeated every aspect of our digital lives. It is indeed very important in microcontroller development, but its application field is much broader than we imagine. Today, let’s talk about this issue.
1.C Language is Everywhere
1.Operating Systems
The operating systems you use every day, such as Windows, Linux, and MacOS, have over 70% of their code written in C language. Just like building a house requires steel and concrete, operating systems need building materials like C language.
2.Smart Devices
From the smartphone in your pocket to the smart traffic lights at intersections, and even to the CT machines in hospitals, the control programs for these devices rely on C language. Even Tesla’s autonomous driving system has C language at its core.
3.Software Development
You may not know that the chat function of WeChat, the payment system of Alipay, Photoshop‘s image processing, WPS office software, World of Warcraft, Honor of Kings, and many other large games have core modules developed using C language. These seemingly high-level software applications rely heavily on C language for their critical components. Just like the foundation of a skyscraper, which is invisible but essential.
4.Hardware Communication
When you click print, the reason the printer works is that there is a driver program written in C language helping the computer communicate with the hardware. Graphics cards, sound cards, routers, and other hardware devices rely on this kind of translation.
5. The Universal Language of Embedded Systems
Returning to the familiar field, besides microcontrollers, C language is also widely used in various embedded devices: from smart wristbands to industrial robots, from smart homes to automotive systems, and even in the control systems of spacecraft, you can see C language at work.
2. Why Choose C Language?
High Efficiency
Compared to interpreted languages like Python, programs compiled in C language are like sprinters, executing at high speed. This is why fields that require real-time performance, such as aerospace control systems and industrial robots, choose C language.
Close to Hardware
C language can directly manipulate memory, like speaking a “machine dialect,” allowing direct communication with hardware. This is something many high-level languages cannot achieve. Therefore, this is the fundamental reason why microcontrollers and embedded devices favor C language.
The Ancestor of Programming Languages
C++, Java, C#, and other mainstream languages have all borrowed from the syntax of C language. Learning C language is like mastering the basics of martial arts; learning other languages like C++, Java, and Python will become much easier, and you will find that you can achieve twice the result with half the effort. It’s like learning to ride a bicycle first makes it much easier to ride an electric bike later.
When you first start learning C language, you might wonder: why do I have to manage memory myself? Aren’t other languages simpler? This is like when a master chef asks you to start by chopping vegetables; it seems tedious, but it cultivates true programming thinking.
Many people say that we are now in the era of artificial intelligence; is learning C language outdated? In fact, the opposite is true. The more critical the underlying systems are, the more they need foundational languages like C language. Just like building a house, the upper structure can use various new materials, but the foundation must be made of the most reliable steel and concrete. When you encounter performance bottlenecks in other fields, looking back at C language will always provide you with the key to solving the problem.