Difference Between C and Python
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Before we learn the differences between C and Python in detail, let us have an overview of some of the most fundamental differences between C and Python. C is a compiled language, whereas Python is an interpreted language. Python follows the Object-Oriented Programming paradigm, whereas C is a Structured Procedure Programming language.
Introduction to C
The C language was developed at Bell Labs between 1972 to 1973. The computer scientist Dennis Ritchie founded it. The C language was primarily developed for building and running programs on top of the Unix operating system. To know more read History of C Language
C was used to reimplement the kernel of the Unix operating system. Nowadays, it is used to develop various applications and firmware, implement portable systems, etc.
The C language aids a variety of features like structured programming, lexical variable scope, and recursion, with a static type system etc.
C offers the traits of high-level languages as it aids us in writing programs that do not depend on a specific computer type, and the traits of low-level languages as it aids us with computer architecture with minimal or negligible. Thus C is also known as mid-level language.
It provides features like structured programming, lexical variable scope, pointers, etc.
C is a middle-level language because it bridges the gap between machine-level and high-level languages. A user can use C to do System Programming (for writing operating systems) and Application Programming (for generating menu-driven customer billing systems).
Note: You can refer to Importance of C article to know more about C programming language.
Introduction to Python
Python is a general-purpose, high-level language that is interpreted. It has gained popularity among programming languages over the years. Python was released to provide a descendant to the ABC programming language in 1991. Python has introduced indentation, a pioneer in improving code readability. Some of the programming paradigms provided by python are:
- Object-Oriented Programming: Object-oriented programming (OOP) is a programming style characterized by identifying classes of objects closely linked with the methods (functions) with which they are associated. It also includes ideas of inheritance of attributes and methods.
- Functional Programming: Functional programming is a programming paradigm in which we try to bind everything in pure mathematical functions. It is a declarative type of programming style.
- Structured Programming: Structured programming is a programming paradigm that facilitates creating programs with readable code and reusable components.
Python is strongly typed and a dynamically typed language, i.e., the variable type matters when an operation is performed on a variable. Dynamic typing means that the variable type is determined only during runtime. Python frees the space that is not being used and reclaims the block of memory; thus, it is also garbage-collected.
Python has become popular because of its abundance of features and is used in different fields in the industry. One of the biggest reasons for its popularity is the user-friendliness and simple syntax, thus making its learning curve comparatively low.
Python is a very high-level programming language because its syntax so closely resembles the English language. Higher-level means it's more readable to humans and less readable to computers.
Note: You can refer to What is Python? article to know more about Python.
Key Difference Between C and Python
| Comparison Parameter | C | Python |
|---|---|---|
| Programming model | C is a procedural programming language. C programs follow a procedure of steps written in it, called functions. It follows a top-down approach, i.e., much importance is given to the flow of the program rather than to data on which functions operate | Python is an object-oriented programming language. Everything in python is an object. Using python, we can create classes and objects. |
| language type | C does the work of filling the gap among the machine-level languages and high-level languages. Thus it is also known as mid-level language. | The Python is translated into machine language with an interpreter. Thus it is also known as high-level language. |
| Compilation and Interpretation | C is a compiled programming language. It uses compilers to check the whole C code in one go, and the errors detected in the C code during this process are reported at once. | Python is an interpreted programming language. It uses interpreters to check each line of the Python code, and if an error is detected anywhere within the code, it stops the interpretation of the program at that moment. |
| Speed | Since the C program is compiled thus, it is a faster language than Python. | Since Python programs are interpreted thus, it is comparatively slower than C programs. |
| Declaration of variable | The variables in C are declared when they are created. The values assigned to these must be of the particular type of the variable. | In Python, we do not need to define the variable's data type when it is declared. Such variables are also known as untyped variables. The values of distinct data types can be stored in python variables. |
| Memory Management | In C, we need to do the memory management manually. | The memory management in python is handled automatically with the help of the Garbage Collector available. |
| Pointers | The C language has the support for pointers. | The Python language does not have them for support pointers. |
| Functional Units | Since C is a procedural programming language, thus most of the functional units in C are functions. | Since Python is an object-oriented programming language, thus most of the functional units are objects. |
| Robustness | C is a relatively less robust language than python. | Python is a relatively more robust language than C as it has very rugged memory management schemes. |
| Applications | The C programming language is mostly used to develop hardware applications. | Python is a general-purpose programming language |
| Availability of built-in functions | The C language has a very limited number of built-in functions. | The Python language has a huge collection of built-in functions. |
| Usage of Data Structures | Data structures in C (e.g., stack, queue, etc.), needs to implement by the programmers to be used. | Data Structures in Python are available with built-in libraries; thus it is comparatively easier to use. |
| In-line assignment. | In C, we can do the inline assignments. E.g., int temp = 11; would assign the value 11 to temp in C. | Python does not provide the feature of inline assignment. E.g., temp = 11; with throw a python error. |
| Program file type | The C code files are stored in the system with the .c extension. | The Python code files are stored in the system with the .py extension. |
Pros and Cons of C
Pros:
- Faster Execution Speed: Since C is compiled, it often performs faster than interpreted languages.
- Direct Memory Access: C supports pointers, providing a mechanism for direct memory access and manipulation, which can lead to more efficient programs.
- Closer to Machine Level: Being a mid-level language, C allows for low-level operations and is commonly used for system programming and hardware applications.
Cons:
- Manual Memory Management: Developers must handle memory allocation and deallocation, which can lead to memory leaks and other issues.
- Less Built-in Functions: C has fewer built-in functions than modern high-level languages, which may increase development time.
- Less Robust: Without careful programming, C can lead to issues like buffer overflows, making it less robust in specific scenarios.
Pros and Cons of Python (pointers)
Pros:
- Object-Oriented: Python’s object-oriented design simplifies many programming tasks and structures.
- Memory Management: Python’s garbage collection system automatically manages memory, reducing the risk of memory leaks.
- Huge Library Support: Python offers extensive built-in functions and libraries, enabling faster development for a wide range of applications.
Cons:
- Slower Execution: Being an interpreted language, Python often runs slower than compiled languages like C.
- No Pointers: Python does not support pointers, which might be a disadvantage for certain system-level programming tasks.
- Overhead: Due to its high-level nature, Python may introduce more overhead than languages like C in terms of memory and processing.
C Vs Python: Which Programming Language is Better?
- Use Case Matters: The best choice between C and Python largely depends on the project’s requirements. For hardware-level or performance-critical tasks, C might be preferred, while Python excels in rapid development and diverse applications like web services or data analysis.
- Development Speed vs. Execution Speed: Python often allows faster development due to its simplicity and extensive libraries. However, C usually provides better runtime performance.
- Learning Curve: Python is often recommended for beginners due to its readability and simplicity. C, while powerful, may be more challenging for a novice due to its intricate details like memory management.
- Ecosystem and Community: Both languages have a rich ecosystem and a vibrant community. Python’s ecosystem is more diverse due to its wide range of applications, while C’s ecosystem is deeply rooted in system programming and embedded systems.
Conclusion
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C is a procedural programming language where Python is an Object-oriented programming language
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The C language provides better performance and is used in systems requiring high speed and performance.
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Python is a general-purpose language that can be used to ease development and solve problems where code reusability is of great value.
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Python has a vast collection of built-in functions compared to C.
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Python is a general-purpose language, whereas C is used in developing hardware applications.
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C is relatively less robust than Python
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C has support for pointers, whereas Python does not support pointers.
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Python has automatic memory management, whereas in C, the memory management needs to be done manually.
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