C (programming language) vs Fortran

Struggling to choose between C (programming language) and Fortran? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

C (programming language) is a Development solution with tags like systems-programming, procedural-programming, c-standard-library, portability, efficiency.

It boasts features such as Procedural programming model, Statically typed language, Low-level memory management, Portable across multiple platforms, Widely used for system programming, Supports structured programming constructs, Provides direct access to hardware resources, Supports modular programming through functions and pros including Efficient and high-performance, Widely adopted and supported, Portable across different systems, Provides low-level control over hardware, Supports modular and structured programming, Large and active community with extensive resources.

On the other hand, Fortran is a Development product tagged with numeric-computing, scientific-computing, compiled, imperative.

Its standout features include Compiled language for high performance computing, Strong typing and data abstraction capabilities, Built-in mathematical and array processing functions, Backward compatibility to support legacy code, Interoperability with C and other languages, and it shines with pros like Fast execution speed, Efficient code for numerical and scientific applications, Mature language with large user base and code libraries, Portable across platforms, Can call C functions directly.

Feature	C (programming language)	Fortran
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Development	Development

Product Overview

C (programming language)

Description: C is a general-purpose, procedural programming language originally developed by Dennis Ritchie between 1969 and 1973 at Bell Labs. It is a very popular language, particularly for systems programming due to its flexibility, speed, and minimal runtime requirements.

Fortran

Description: Fortran is a general-purpose, compiled imperative programming language that is especially suited to numeric computation and scientific computing. Originally developed by IBM in the 1950s for scientific and engineering applications, Fortran came to dominate this area of programming early on and has been in continuous use for over half a century.

Key Features Comparison

C (programming language) Features

• Procedural programming model
• Statically typed language
• Low-level memory management
• Portable across multiple platforms
• Widely used for system programming
• Supports structured programming constructs
• Provides direct access to hardware resources
• Supports modular programming through functions

Fortran Features

• Compiled language for high performance computing
• Strong typing and data abstraction capabilities
• Built-in mathematical and array processing functions
• Backward compatibility to support legacy code
• Interoperability with C and other languages

Pros & Cons Analysis

C (programming language)

Pros

• Efficient and high-performance
• Widely adopted and supported
• Portable across different systems
• Provides low-level control over hardware
• Supports modular and structured programming
• Large and active community with extensive resources

Cons

• Prone to memory-related errors
• Requires more manual memory management
• Steeper learning curve compared to some high-level languages
• Limited built-in data structures and abstractions
• Potential for security vulnerabilities if not used carefully

Fortran

Pros

• Fast execution speed
• Efficient code for numerical and scientific applications
• Mature language with large user base and code libraries
• Portable across platforms
• Can call C functions directly

Cons

• Steep learning curve for new programmers
• Verbose syntax compared to modern languages
• Limited object-oriented capabilities
• Lack of strings and dynamic data structures
• Mostly used in legacy and scientific code, less demand in new development

Pricing Comparison

C (programming language)

• Open Source

Fortran

• Open Source
• Free Compilers