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PUBLISHED ON: MARCH 2, 2023

Difference Between C and Objective C

Programming languages are handy for creating understandable sets of instructions for a machine to do a specific job. C and Objective C are two prevalent programming languages. Early in the 1970s, Dennis Ritchie created the programming language C for the UNIX operating system. It is a procedural, general-purpose programming language. The language is used for both system and desktop application development. On the other hand, Objective C was created by Brad Cox and Tom Love in the early 1980s. It is an object-oriented, general-purpose programming language designed to provide small talk-style messaging to the C programming language.

Following a quick introduction to C and objective C, we will examine the whole list and the distinction between C and Objective C. Let's examine the differences between C and objective C in detail.

What is C?

language c

C is a procedural, static programming language that supports structured programming, recursion, and lexical variable scoping. C was designed with constructs that map nicely to standard hardware instructions. It has a long history of use in programmes written in assembly language.

C programming language is a machine-independent programming language primarily used to create applications and operating systems such as Windows, as well as other complex programmes such as the Oracle database, Git, Python interpreter, and games, and is considered a programming foundation for learning any other programming language. These applications include operating systems and different application software for computer architectures ranging from supercomputers to PLCs and embedded devices.

Features:

  • Abundant libraries- The C libraries provide several built-in functions that may be utilized to complete repetitious tasks. Through these libraries, even novice programmers may write code. This eliminates the effort required to code repeatedly. It also permits the addition of user-defined functions to C libraries. Due to its flexibility, the C programming language may be used to develop several applications.
  • Fast language- C is a middle-level programming language that gives programmers access to direct hardware manipulation. Since it is a statistically typed language, it is also quick. The C programming language includes helpful features that accelerate C compilation.
  • Mid-level language- Because it supports the functionality and features of both low-level and high-level languages, C has evolved through time to become a middle-level programming language. It may be used for both system programming and operating system development. C is also capable of being used for application programming.

Advantages:

  • C is a case-sensitive language. Therefore, lowercase and capital letters have distinct meanings.
  • C is a highly mobile language. C creates several Windows, UNIX, and Linux system components.
  • Since C is a general-purpose programming language, it may be used for game development, graphics, corporate systems, etc.

Disadvantages:

  • Insufficient object orientation.
  • The concept of namespace is absent from C.
  • Lack of Exception Handling.

What is Objective C?

objective c

Brad Cox and Tom Love created Objective C in the early 1980s. It is an object-oriented, general-purpose programming language designed to provide small talk-style messaging to the C programming language. This language enables users to design protocols by defining classes and data elements that might be public, private, or protected. Apple utilized this language for their iOS and OS X operating systems. Apple created Swift language in 2014 to replace this language. Nonetheless, many businesses continue to support their Objective-C-based older applications.

Features:

  • It is an excellent memory management tool.
  • Offers enhanced support for binary frameworks.
  • Interoperability with both Objective C++ and C++
  • Numerous third-party libraries aid in the development process.

Advantages:

  • Objective C is a well-tested language due to its long existence. There is a great deal of Objective C code. Numerous well-documented third-party frameworks are available.
  • Objective C is compatible with the programming languages C and C++. As Objective C is a superset of C, C and C++ code runs efficiently on it.

Disadvantages:

  • Objective C is difficult to master because of its complex syntax. Swift is favored over it because it is distinct from several other popular programming languages.

C vs. Objective C

C Objective C
It is a language based on procedures. Issues are resolved sequentially. The computer language Objective-C is an object-oriented language. It provides syntax and semantics to enable an object-oriented programming language. It does not, however, enable multiple inheritance properties.
The C language is the subset of Objective C. Objective C is the superset of the C programming language. It also has classes and objects in addition to the C programming language.
The C language's pointers are susceptible to security threats. Objective C utilises null pointers and is hence type safe compared to C.
It is fundamentally a low-level language that is too similar to assembly language. Objective C is a high-level programming language that combines C with a small-talk messaging style.
The C programming language does not provide classes. Bjarne Stroustrup created the C++ programming language to bring object-oriented capabilities such as classes to the C programming language. Objective C is an object-oriented programming language that supports classes and dynamic runtime.
It uses a top-down programming methodology. It uses a bottom-up programming methodology.
With this programming language, large programme code is broken down into smaller chunks called functions. With this programming language, large programme code is broken down into smaller codes known as Objects and Classes.

Conclusion

C and Objective C are currently popular programming languages. Objective C is a superset of C that incorporates object-oriented programming and other capabilities. Objective C is a multi-paradigm programming language and a superset of C, while C is a structured programming language. Both languages are general-purpose programming languages, although each is primarily utilized for a specific category of applications. Objective C is mainly used for IOS and Mac application development, whereas C is often used for embedded and operating system development.

We hope you like this article. We have begun with a quick overview of C and Objective C. We also compared the benefits, drawbacks, and features of C vs. Objective C. We have now compared C vs. Objective C. Please let me know in the comment section if you have any trouble keeping up. Happy studying!


Related Questions

1. Should I learn C before Objective-C?

Absolutely; Objective-C can be learned without prior knowledge of C. In fact, if you want to learn how to create iOS applications, you should study Objective-C first — it will get you there far faster than learning C, then Objective-C, then the iOS frameworks.

2. Is Objective-C still used in 2022?

Numerous signs indicate that there is still a substantial amount of historical Objective-C code in use, both from Apple and external developers.

3. What replaced Objective-C?

"Apple stated in 2014 that the new programming language Swift will replace Objective-C.

4. Does Google use Objective-C?

Some of Google's iOS applications are developed entirely in Objective-C.



About the author:
Adarsh Kumar Singh is a technology writer with a passion for coding and programming. With years of experience in the technical field, he has established a reputation as a knowledgeable and insightful writer on a range of technical topics.