c is the most basic programming language. it is easy to learn and quite easy to use. Most people who want to learn programming start with the C programming language. Are you one of them and looking for a good book on c programming?
Deciding to learn the c programming language is an excellent decision as it is the basis for all programming languages. there is nothing easier than this. you can start here and then move up.
You are reading: Best c programming books
For your c programming journey, we have compiled a list of 15 books that are widely used by beginners and experts alike.
list of the 15 best c programming books
- best for beginners – c programming: absolute beginners guide by greg perry
- best overall – the c programming language by brainw. kernighan
- a book about c (4th edition) by al kelley and ira pohl
- effective c by robert c. seacord
- learn c programming by jeff szuhay
- c programming in easy steps by mike mcgrath
- practical network programming with c by lewis van winkle
- indicators in c by kenneth a. sucks
- leave us c by yashavant kanetkar
- 21st century c by ben klemens
- c in a nutshell by peter prinz and tony crawford
- Practical C Programming by Steve Oualline
- Expert C Programming by Peter Van der Linden
- C Programming: A Modern Approach by K. north. king
- c programming by stephen g. kochan
a book about c (4th edition) by al kelley and ira pohl
you can learn ansi c programming language with this book. It will not only teach you C, but also help you make the transition to C++ and Java once you have mastered this language. the book starts by explaining the syntax of c. But it does not stop there. the author goes above and beyond to help you understand the underlying logic of each syntax. you will find this book very neat and clear.
See Also: Yoair Blog – The world’s anthropology blog publication
advantages:
- All the material, from abstract data types to function prototypes, is present in the book. you don’t need to look anywhere else to master the c programming language.
See Also: The Roman Index of Forbidden Books, by Francis S. Betten, S.J.—A Project Gutenberg eBook
cons:
- There is no kindle version available for this book.
c programming: greg perry and dean miller’s absolute beginner’s guide
This book boasts of the fact that you don’t need to have any prior coding experience to learn C programming. In this book, you’ll learn how to organize programs, work with variables and operators, store and display data, pointers, arrays, I/O, functions, and much more. Whatever operating system you’re using: OS X, Linux, or Windows, this book is for you.
See Also: Yoair Blog – The world’s anthropology blog publication
advantages:
- with constant practice, you can code in c in no time just with the help of this book.
See Also: The Roman Index of Forbidden Books, by Francis S. Betten, S.J.—A Project Gutenberg eBook
cons:
- some of the links to the sample codes provided in the kindle version do not work.
cash c by robert c. sea rope
This book is an introduction to professional c programming. focuses extensively on safe and secure systems. if you’re worried about the security of your programs, definitely read the book carefully to understand the security aspects at every step of your code. this is an awesome guide if you see yourself building working systems and solving real life problems with c programming.
See Also: Yoair Blog – The world’s anthropology blog publication
advantages:
- Each chapter contains practice code exercises so you can get all the experience you need.
See Also: The Roman Index of Forbidden Books, by Francis S. Betten, S.J.—A Project Gutenberg eBook
cons:
- This is not a book for programming novices. you need to have some prior coding knowledge.
learn c programming by jeff szuhay
Who doesn’t love an easy way? This book gives you exactly that: an easy way to learn C programming. this book will create a solid foundation for your programming journey. With this book, of course, you will learn how to program in C, but along with that, you will learn a bit about software development. this makes this book ideal for both beginners and experienced programmers.
See Also: Yoair Blog – The world’s anthropology blog publication
advantages:
- you will acquire skills that are not restricted to the c language but are also applicable to other programming languages.
See Also: The Roman Index of Forbidden Books, by Francis S. Betten, S.J.—A Project Gutenberg eBook
cons:
- There are bugs in some of the sample code that are not that hard to spot but can be frustrating.
the c programming language (2nd edition) by brain w. Kernighan and Dennis M. ritchie
The author follows the ANSI standard for C programming throughout the book. The book contains 8 chapters and 3 appendices. It covers most of the topics that any c programming book should have like flow control, program functions and structures, pointers and arrays, structures, input and output, the unix system interface, etc. the exercises at the end of each chapter make you think. and use what you’ve learned to write a program of your own.
See Also: Yoair Blog – The world’s anthropology blog publication
advantages:
- This second edition of the book has been updated to meet all the latest standards and requirements.
See Also: The Roman Index of Forbidden Books, by Francis S. Betten, S.J.—A Project Gutenberg eBook
cons:
- You need to have a basic understanding of variables, assignment statements, loops, and functions in programming to start this book.
c programming in easy steps by mike mcgrath
Looking for a fully illustrated color book on C programming? you got it The book uses very little jargon which makes it easy to understand and follow. the content of this book is shown in a very simplified way, which makes c less confusing. even a child could learn c programming with this book. you get links to sample code to check your work every step of the way as you go through this book.
See Also: Yoair Blog – The world’s anthropology blog publication
advantages:
- The book has been updated for the gnu compiler version 6.3.0 and windows 10.
See Also: The Roman Index of Forbidden Books, by Francis S. Betten, S.J.—A Project Gutenberg eBook
cons:
- the book does not contain any information different from most c programming books. the only thing that makes it stand out is the illustrated and colour-coded content.
practical network programming with c by lewis van winkle
Are you interested in learning how to program sockets in C? then you should buy this handy guide. When you’re done, you’ll be able to write secure and optimized networking code. basically you will get control over network protocols like tcp and udp and web protocols like http and https. you will gain experience with client-server applications in this book.
See Also: Yoair Blog – The world’s anthropology blog publication
advantages:
- The book is applicable to Windows, MacOS and Linux operating systems.
See Also: The Roman Index of Forbidden Books, by Francis S. Betten, S.J.—A Project Gutenberg eBook
cons:
- The author has tried to cover many advanced topics in just 614 pages. because of that, enough explanation is missing in most topics.
indicators in c by kenneth a. stench
The author stated that this is unlike any other c programming book on the market. focuses a lot on pointers in programming. according to him, pointers give c its power and thus deserve to be learned in more depth than usual. the author discusses the trade-offs between efficiency and maintainability at the end of most chapters. this book is for professionals and advanced students.
See Also: Yoair Blog – The world’s anthropology blog publication
advantages:
- The author provides programming tips and cautionary notes to get the best experience with c.
See Also: The Roman Index of Forbidden Books, by Francis S. Betten, S.J.—A Project Gutenberg eBook
cons:
- There is no kindle version available for this book.
- The paperback version of this book is expensive.
let us c by yashavant kanetkar
This is one of the most used books on c programming. This book can be used as a textbook on C programming as it has everything you will need to learn the language. The author starts with very basic elements of C and step by step takes you from simple to complex programs. the example codes in this book are up to date and working. the exercises at the end of the chapter make you a better programmer. and elaborate notes at the end of each chapter help him remember everything he has learned.
See Also: Yoair Blog – The world’s anthropology blog publication
advantages:
- This book has everything you will need to start coding in c. you won’t need any external resources other than those mentioned in the book.
See Also: The Roman Index of Forbidden Books, by Francis S. Betten, S.J.—A Project Gutenberg eBook
cons:
- There is no kindle version available for this book.
21st century c by ben klemens
If you think that all the c books you can get your hands on are out of date, then you should pick this book. Updated with the latest advances in C programming, this book serves as an excellent tutorial for C. this book teaches you wonders like advanced math, talking to internet servers, running databases with existing c libraries, creating high-level and object-based libraries, using modern syntax functions, and much more.
See Also: Yoair Blog – The world’s anthropology blog publication
advantages:
- The author provides solid ideas for writing clean code, gives great advice on an efficient workflow, and teaches the use of great tools.
See Also: The Roman Index of Forbidden Books, by Francis S. Betten, S.J.—A Project Gutenberg eBook
cons:
- The author assumes that you have prior knowledge of c and cs grammar. if he doesn’t, this book will be a difficult read.
c in a nutshell by peter prinz and tony crawford
We just found you a definitive reference book for c programming. The book has chapters devoted to concepts and elements in the C language, such as memory management, types, instructions, pointers, I/O, etc. the latest edition of this book has information on features that comply with the c11 standard. very easy to understand sections on the gnu software collection will teach you how to use various gnu tools.
See Also: Yoair Blog – The world’s anthropology blog publication
advantages:
- There is a clear distinction between the older c89/90 features and the newer c99/c11 revisions in the book.
See Also: The Roman Index of Forbidden Books, by Francis S. Betten, S.J.—A Project Gutenberg eBook
cons:
- The index of this book is poorly prepared. it is to navigate certain concepts.
practical programming in c by steve oualline
We present a practical manual of programming in c. Along with the mechanics of programming, this book will teach you how to read, debug, and update C programs. the author believes that style and cleanliness are as important as syntax, if not more so. The most exciting thing about this book is the section on electronic archaeology, which is the art of reviewing someone else’s code.
See Also: Yoair Blog – The world’s anthropology blog publication
advantages:
- The book covers both windows and linux compilers.
See Also: The Roman Index of Forbidden Books, by Francis S. Betten, S.J.—A Project Gutenberg eBook
cons:
- A beginner with very little c experience will find this book useless, as there are advanced concepts that require a basic understanding of the language.
expert c programming by peter van der linden
do you want to learn to program in c in a fun way? there is nothing better than this book. the author has maintained a humorous tone throughout the book that deeply connects the reader with the material. the author uses stories, folklore, and anecdotes to explain c language concepts. This book is not for beginners, but for C programmers who want to expand their knowledge base.
See Also: Yoair Blog – The world’s anthropology blog publication
advantages:
- At the end of each chapter, you’ll find a section entitled “dome light relief” that discusses recreational issues related to c.
See Also: The Roman Index of Forbidden Books, by Francis S. Betten, S.J.—A Project Gutenberg eBook
cons:
- The print quality of this book is very poor.
c programming: a modern approach (2nd edition) by k. north. king
This book follows a clear approach to c programming. The book is ideal for both students and teachers. You will find coverage of the c89 and c99 standards. The author provides additional resources, such as PowerPoint presentations of various concepts from the book and password-protected solutions and source codes for the exercises in the book. our experts say this is a very easy type of book to read and understand.
See Also: Yoair Blog – The world’s anthropology blog publication
advantages:
- There are nearly 500 programming exercises and projects in the book to give you hands-on experience.
See Also: The Roman Index of Forbidden Books, by Francis S. Betten, S.J.—A Project Gutenberg eBook
cons:
- several readers have encountered problems with the kindle version of this book.
c programming by stephen g. kochan
Humans tend to learn more by example. this book adapts that technique to teach you how to program. each new concept is illustrated with a c program. the author gives a lot of importance to good programming practices. Consisting of 18 chapters and 5 appendices, this book is a complete package on the C language. The exercises at the end of the chapter are a great way to practice programming in C.
See Also: Yoair Blog – The world’s anthropology blog publication
advantages:
- the author has included elegant but complete c examples that demonstrate a compileable piece of code.
See Also: The Roman Index of Forbidden Books, by Francis S. Betten, S.J.—A Project Gutenberg eBook
cons:
- The kindle edition of this book does not have page numbers, which makes navigation difficult.
c is said to be the easiest programming language. but that doesn’t mean it should be taken lightly, as it is the basis for other programming languages.
if you’re a complete beginner, take the help of greg perry and dean miller’s “absolute beginner’s guide to c programming”. it has everything you’d ever want to learn.
If you’re someone who just can’t read a dull, boring reference book, but really want to learn C programming, we highly recommend you buy “C Programming In Easy Steps” by Mike McGrath. this book is completely color coded and illustrated with images.
but our personal favorite is“the c programming language” by brain w. kernighan. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced reader, you won’t be disappointed in mr. the practical work of kanetkar.
See Also: Vicki Delany – Book Series In Order