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The C programming language has been around for quite a while now. A new book by Peter Prinz and Tony Crawford called "C in a Nutshell" makes some interesting assertions and provide some useful information for the programming language first used in Unix.

The language is quite popular and with more than thirty years of use, is as durable as any language out there. The language is prized for both its portability and its efficiency. This book covers a lot of ground with the C programming language.

As Prinz and Crawford observe in their book, "The key characteristics of the C language are the qualities that made it suitable for implementing the Unix operating system: source code portability, the ability to operate 'close to the machine' and efficiency.

"Because C was expressly designed for system programming it is hardly surprising that one of its major uses today is in programming embedded systems," they add. "At the same time, however, many developers use C as a portable, structured, high-level language to write programs such as powerful word processors, databases, and graphic applications." Their new book fills a gap in the market for volumes dedicated to C. "Although compilers now have nearly full support for the 1999 standard, textbooks and references have remained behind the times," Crawford notes.

"'C in a Nutshell' provides concise tips, techniques, examples, and practical advice," adds Prinz. "This will allow advanced developers to maximize their capabilities. Furthermore it includes a compact introduction to the language and its key functions This makes it ideal for less experienced C developers or those who want to start writing code right away."

Following a format similar to the highly successful "C++ in a Nutshell," Prinz and Crawford's new book provides everything programmers need. The book is divided into three parts. The first describes the C language in the strict sense of the term; the second describes the standard library, and the third describes the process of compiling and testing programs with the tools in the popular GNU software collection.

Prinz says "I wanted to write a clear, well structured, and complete exposition of the language, including the enhancements in the C99 standard."

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John Stith is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business.