Chapter 3

Programming
Basics

before we dig into C programming specifics, we'll spend a few minutes discussing the basics of programming: Why write a computer program? How do computer programs work? We'll answer these questions and look at all of the elements that come together to create a computer program, such as source code, a compiler, and the computer itself.

If you've already done some programming, skim through this chapter. If you feel comfortable with the material, skip ahead to Chapter 4. Most of the issues covered in this chapter will be independent of the C language.