# C Introduction — C Programming

Source: https://www.geekswithgeeks.com/en/c/c-intro

> What C is, why it still matters, and how a C program becomes a running binary.

## What is C?

C is a **general-purpose, procedural** language created by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labs in 1972 to build Unix. Decades later it still powers operating systems, databases and language runtimes like Python.

## Close to the metal

If Python is driving an automatic car, C is driving a manual with the hood open. You manage memory yourself — more effort, but you learn how the machine really works.

## Compile, then run

Unlike interpreted languages, C source is compiled ahead of time into a standalone executable.

```bash
gcc hello.c -o hello   # source -> executable
./hello                # run it
```

Output:

```
Hello, World!
```