C 17 vs C 5: A Comprehensive Comparison
C programming language is one of the most popular languages in the world of programming. Since its release in 1972, it has undergone several updates and revisions, resulting in the emergence of multiple versions of the language. Amongst these versions, C 5 and C 17 are two such iterations that have made a significant impact in the programming industry. Although both the versions have their similarities and differences, it is essential to understand these variations to know which version is suitable for a particular programming task. In this article, we will analyze C 17 vs. C 5 and compare them in various aspects.
Overview of C 5 and C 17
C 5
C 5, also known as C99 or ISO/IEC 9899:1999, was released in the year 1999. It is a standardized version of the C language that introduced a range of new features and changes to the language syntax. Some of the notable features introduced in C 5 include support for variable-length arrays (VLAs), improved support for characters and strings, inline functions, and new data types such as long long int and _Complex, amongst others.
C 17
C 17, also known as C18 or ISO/IEC 9899:2018, was released in the year 2018. It is an updated version of the C language that features several improvements and new features. Some of the notable features introduced in C 17 include enhanced support for multi-threading, more concise support for complex number arithmetic, improved alignment of data, new mathematical functions, amongst others.
Comparison between C 5 and C 17
Data Types
Both C 5 and C 17 support the standard data types such as int, char, float, double, and void. However, C 17 introduces new data types such as _Bool for Boolean values, _Complex for complex numbers, and _Alignas and _Alignof for defining the memory alignment of data types. Moreover, C 17 provides improved support for multi-byte characters, including the UTF-8 encoding, which is not available in C 5.
Floating-Point Arithmetic
C 17 adds new mathematical functions that support floating-point arithmetic, which were not available in C 5. These functions include hypot(), cbrt(), and remainder(). Moreover, C 17 introduces a new format specifier %a that allows the representation of floating-point numbers in hexadecimal.
Multi-Threading
Multi-threading refers to the execution of multiple threads simultaneously within a single program. C 17 introduces several new features to support multi-threading, including thread-local storage, improved support for atomic operations and mutex objects, and new macros for creating threads.
Inline Functions
C 5 introduced inline functions, a feature that allows the compiler to insert the code of the function directly into the calling code, rather than calling the function from a separate location. However, C 17 enhances this feature by introducing the concept of “inline variables” that allows the declaration of variables that can be replaced by the actual value at compile-time.
Compatibility
C 17 breaks backward compatibility with some of the programs written in earlier versions of the C language. This is because C 17 modifies some of the language syntax and introduces new features that may not be compatible with the previous code. On the other hand, C 5 is still compatible with the earlier versions of C.
FAQs About C 17 vs. C 5
Q. Which version of C should I use?
It depends on the specific requirements of your project. If you need to use some of the new features introduced in C 17, then go with that version. Otherwise, if you want to ensure backward compatibility with the earlier versions of C, then C 5 is the way to go.
Q. Is C 17 better than C 5?
Both versions of C have their advantages and disadvantages. While C 17 introduces several new features, it may not be suitable for all programming tasks. Similarly, C 5 may not have some of the advanced features present in C 17 but is still preferred by programmers who require backward compatibility.
Q. Is it possible to write code in C 17 using a C 5 compiler?
No, it is not possible to write code in C 17 using a C 5 compiler. C 17 introduces several new features and changes to the language syntax, which requires a separate compiler that supports these new features.
Conclusion
To sum up, both C 5 and C 17 are powerful versions of the C programming language that offer various advantages to programmers. While C 17 introduces several new features and improvements, it may not be suitable for all programming tasks due to the backward compatibility issue. On the other hand, C 5 is still preferred by many programmers who require backward compatibility. Therefore, it is essential to understand the differences and similarities between these two versions of C to choose the one that best suits your programming requirements.