Fortran vs C (programming language)

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

Fortran is a Development solution with tags like numeric-computing, scientific-computing, compiled, imperative.

It boasts features such as 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 pros including 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.

On the other hand, C (programming language) is a Development product tagged with systems-programming, procedural-programming, c-standard-library, portability, efficiency.

Its standout features include 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 it shines with pros like 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.

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

Product Overview

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.

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.

Key Features Comparison

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

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

Pros & Cons Analysis

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

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

Pricing Comparison

Fortran

• Open Source
• Free Compilers

C (programming language)

• Open Source