C is a powerful general-purpose programming language that was developed in the early 1970s. It is widely used for system programming, including operating systems and embedded systems, due to its efficiency and control over system resources. The language provides low-level access to memory and is known for its performance, making it a favorite among developers for applications requiring high speed and resource management. One of the key features of C is its simplicity and flexibility, allowing programmers to write code that can be easily ported to different platforms. Its influence is seen in many modern programming languages, such as C++, Java, and Python, which borrow syntax and concepts from C. This makes learning C a valuable skill for aspiring programmers.