C has been one of the fundamental software development languages throughout the decades. As newer languages have emerged, such as Python, Go, Rust, many are wondering: is C still relevant in modern technology? The solution is not simple. Although in some quarters, modern languages dominate, C still remains vital in the background of computing.
Why People Think C Is Dying?
Here are the reasons:
Loss of popularity to higher-order languages.- Harder to learn, hence not as appealing to novices as it is to experienced learners.
- A decrease in the number of new projects selecting C as their language of choice.
- Safety Issues: Compared to memory, it is a safe alternative.
Loss of popularity to higher-order languages.Why C Still Matters?
Nevertheless, C is irreplaceable in a number of areas:
Operating Systems
Windows, Linux, and macOS have core components which are coded in C.
Embedded Systems
IoT devices and microcontrollers are dependent on C a lot.
Applications that are Performance-Critical
C offers unparalleled hardware and memory control.
Interoperability
The majority of modern languages rely on C libraries.
The Future of C
Although it is not the language of web apps or machine learning, the legacy and utility of C mean that it will be used over the next decades. C is still used to provide the critical infrastructure of organizations, and its low-level control makes it unsuitable to replace in numerous situations.
Conclusion
C is far from dead. Rather it has evolved to cease being the mainstream programming language that is more useful in areas where performance and control are the main factors. C should not be ignored by developers who have interests in embedded systems, systems programming or infrastructure development.