FilterHN

Ask HN: How many communities HN it devs in C language?

6 points

1 day ago

| 4 comments

I looked at a lot of posts, but I didn't see anyone mentioning the C programming language, I hope I'm the only one here?

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Rochus

21 hours ago

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> I didn't see anyone mentioning the C programming language

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29591993

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43632645

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38632970

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16967675

and many more ...

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Flundstrom2

5 hours ago

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C is 50 years old, and deliberately kept smalm as a KISS language (unlike the almost-as-old nowadays-bloated C++).

There's simply not a lot happening to it - apart from being part of the root causes to 50% of all security vulnerabilities.

Although Gcc and the Linux kernel do have some 50 MLoC, noone would nowadays embark on writing such a large system using C from scratch.

Today, Java, C# or Rust would be much better choices for any large system. Heck, even C++ (with proper use of a selected sub-set of its features) would be a step up.

Dont get me wrong; I've been doing embedded development using C and C++ for a living for the last 25+ years. But, I'm learning Rust, and I love it, hoping it will take C's place and being a serious contender to Java, C# and even python for the use-cases where it would make sense.

Surely, getting a program through the compiler is much harder, but afterwards, it just works. I would suggest all seasoned C developers to give Rust a serious shot.

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FerkiHN

3 hours ago

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I agree with several points you made — Rust is indeed a powerful language, and I also use it in my projects. Its safety guarantees and modern tooling make it an excellent choice for many use cases.

That said, I think C still has a unique value, especially when you need full control over memory, binaries, and platform-specific behavior. It's minimal, with no hidden abstractions or magic — what you write is what you get. And that simplicity can be a feature, not a flaw.

C isn't always the right choice for large modern systems anymore, sure — but for certain domains like embedded, retro-style tooling, or bare-metal performance, it still shines. Plus, it's a great language to understand how things really work under the hood.

I see C and Rust not as enemies, but as tools with overlapping goals and different trade-offs. I use both — C when I want ultimate control, Rust when I want safety with fewer footguns.

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skydhash

1 day ago

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C is boring technology. Occasion to make the news are rare. I hack things in C when some tools I use crash or is missing features. Or to learn how somethings work.

Just like if you want some basic HTML form attached to a database that's guaranteed to run everywhere, you write in PHP, if you want a simple Linux (and BSD) cli app, you write it in C. Both are dangerous tech (as in no guardrails), but you'll be set for decades with minimal maintenance.

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FerkiHN

1 day ago

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The C programming language, on the contrary, is interesting if you have experience. I always create new things that have different uniquenesses. I recently created a notes program for Windows with GUI in C language, 67kb in size.

The C language offers many features that even surpass modern languages.

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andreamonaco

1 day ago

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Many people still use C, I do for sure

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FerkiHN

1 day ago

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Are you using it for embedded systems or regular software?

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