As you can see, what differentiates the given C code from similar codes in other languages is that in C, we have to import the stdio.h library and define the main function explicitly. Not such a big deal. The other difference is that the name of the standard function to write stuff to the screen differs in each language. In C, it is printf , in Python it is print , in R it is cat , and in MATLAB/Octave it is disp . Again, no big deal.
One of the things we want you to take away from this boot camp is that with few exceptions, all (procedural) programming languages share many fundamental concepts, such as the use of procedures (or functions) to perform tasks, but there are notable differences that can impact how we write and understand code in each language such as:
Names of standard functions are different across languages.
The rules of each language (known as syntax) are different.
Functionality included in standard libraries can vary significantly.
Language-specific features present in one language may not be present in others.
However, the foundational skills you develop in C, such as organizing code and thinking logically, are transferable and will help you learn other languages more quickly.
Next, we’ll explore some of the strengths and weaknesses of using C. Before we do, it’s worth noting that this is a beginner-friendly course, though some prior exposure to programming will be helpful for deeper understanding and context.