C is a general-purpose programming language that was developed in the 1970s by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labs. It is a procedural language, meaning that it follows a specific set of instructions to complete a task. C is often used for developing operating systems, compilers, and other system software.

One of the main features of C is its portability, which means that it can be used on a wide range of platforms and hardware architectures. C is also a compiled language, meaning that it is converted into machine code that can be run directly on a computer’s processor.

C has a simple, straightforward syntax that is easy to learn, making it a popular choice for programming beginners. It also has a wide range of data types and operators, as well as support for functions, pointers, and arrays.

C is often used in conjunction with other programming languages, such as C++, which is an extension of C that includes additional features such as object-oriented programming. C is also the basis for many other programming languages, such as C# and Java.

Overall, C is a powerful and versatile programming language that is widely used in a variety of applications, from operating systems to scientific computing and beyond.