Difference between C and Dart

In this article, we will discuss about the C and Dart. But before discussing their differences, we must know about the C and Dart.

What is the C language?

C is a procedural programming language created by Dennis Ritchie at Bell Labs at the beginning of the 1970s. It became popular because of its efficiency, portability, and strong link with the UNIX operating system. C has affected many current programming languages and is still extensively used, especially in the fields of system programming, embedded devices, and low-level programming.

Features of C:

Some several features of the C language are as follows:

  • C is a low-level language with basic syntax and minimum abstraction, highlighting the efficiency and simple hardware operations.
  • It provides pointers for memory management but lacks built-in support for newer ideas like classes and objects.
  • It is known for the wide application of libraries such as the C Standard Library, which includes functions for I/O, string manipulation, assigning memory, etc.
  • Manual memory management is a key feature that gives developers control over memory distribution and deallocation of memory.

Components of C:

Some main components of the C language are as follows:

1. Header Files Insertion - Line 1 [#include <stdio.h>]

The first and most important component is the insertion of Header files in a C program. The header section of a file is a file with the extension .h that includes C function definitions and macro expressions that are shared by several source files. All lines beginning with # undergo processing by a preprocessor, which is a program called the compiler.

2. Main Method Definition - Line 2 [int main()]

The main() function is declared next in a C program. It is the starting point of a C program, and execution usually starts with the initial line of the main() function.

3. Main Method Body - Lines 3 to 6 [contained in{}]

In a C program, the body of a function corresponds to the statements that make up that function. It might be anything from modifications to searching, sorting, and printing. A pair of curved brackets define a function's body. All functions must begin and end within curly brackets.

4. Statement - Line 4 [printf("Hello World");]

Statements are the commands that are supplied to the compiler. A semicolon (;) always ends a sentence in C. In this scenario, we use the printf() method to tell the compiler to show the word "Hello World" on the display.

5. Return Statement

The return statement is the last component of any C function. The return statement describes the function return values. The function's return type determines the result of this return statement and the returned value.

What is the Dart Language?

Dart is an open-source programming language created by Google. It has been designed for both the server and the user. The Dart SDK includes its compiler, the Dart VM, and the tool dart2js, which is designed to generate the Javascript equivalents of a Dart Script in order that it may be executed on sites that do not support Dart.

Dart is a language for object-oriented programming that is very similar to Java. Dart is widely used for developing single-page web pages and online apps. Gmail is the best example of a dart application.

Dart libraries:

Dart includes a robust set of core libraries that provide a platform for many common programming tasks:

  • Dart programs have built-in types, collections, and other basic capabilities (dart:core).
  • Queues, linked lists, hashmaps, and binary tree structures (dart:collection) are more advanced collection types.
  • Encoders and decoders for converting data formats such as JSON and UTF-8 (dart:convert).
  • Random numbers generation (dart:math) and mathematics parameters and functions.
  • Non-web application document, socket, HTTP, and other types of I/O support (dart: io).
  • Asynchronous programming is supported using classes like Future and Stream (dart: async).
  • Lists that handle fixed-sized data effectively (for example, unsigned 8-byte integers) and SIMD numerical types (dart:typed_data).
  • Foreign functional interfaces (dart:ffi) are used for compatibility with other programs that use a C-style interface.
  • Concurrent programming with isolates and independent workers comparable to threads but without shared memory, interacting primarily through messages (dart: isolate).
  • HTML components and other resources for applications built for the web that must communicate with browsers and the Document Object Model (DOM) (dart:html).

Dart Platforms:

Dart's compiler technology allows you to run code in a variety of ways:

  • Native platform: Dart comes with an ahead-of-time (AOT) compiler for creating machine-readable code and a Dart virtual machine (VM) supporting just-in-time (JIT) compilation for programs designed for mobile as well as desktop devices.
  • Web platform: Dart can compile programs for production or development that have been developed for the web. Dart is translated into JavaScript using its web compiler.

Key Differences between C and Dart:

Difference between C and Dart

There are several differences between C and Dart languages. Some main differences between the C and Dart are as follows:

AspectCDart
TypeIt is a procedural language, signifying that it focuses on a series of steps or directions on how to do tasks. It is built on functions and organized programming.Dart is a functional programming language that also supports object-oriented programming paradigms. It is based on objects, classes, and inheritance, which allows for a more flexible code structure.
Release YearIt was founded at Bell Labs by Dennis Ritchie in 1972, C continues to be around for many years, becoming as one of the most significant programming languages.It was developed by Google in 2011, Dart is a younger language than C. It was created with the intention of correcting multiple weaknesses in web development.
PurposeDesigned primarily for computer programming, particularly jobs that include direct hardware manipulations such as operating systems, embedded devices, and systems programming.Dart is a general-purpose programming language that was initially targeted at online development with a particular VM (Virtual Machine), but it has now expanded its application to developing mobile apps (via Flutter), scripting on the server side, and more.
SyntaxC is well-known for its low-level, organized grammar, which allows for direct access to system resources. It uses pointers, memory management, and a syntax that is closer to the computer's hardware level.Dart's syntax is influenced by C, Java, and JavaScript. It is a more advanced language than C, with current language structures, robust typing, and easier readability.
CompilationC is a compiled language in which the code is directly transformed into machine code and executed by the components of the machine.Dart used both ahead-of-time (AOT) and JIT (just-in-time) compiling at first. Flutter makes use of AOT compilation for mobile devices and JIT for development.
Memory ManagementThe programmer, who uses pointers, handles the memory in C manually. It provides fine-grained control but is subject to mistakes like as memory leaks and segmentation faults.It uses automated memory administration via garbage collection, allowing the programmer to manually handle memory and eliminate specific kinds of mistakes.
Use CasesIt is commonly used for system-level programming, such as creating operating systems, driver libraries for devices, embedded systems, and high-performance applications.Dart is used in web development, especially through Flutter for generating mobile applications, server-side scripting, and general software development tasks.
ConcurrencyConcurrency support is limited to the usage of threads, and there is no built-in support for more advanced abstractions.It provides more robust synchronization with isolates tested, which allow for distinct threads of execution, as well as async/await for dealing with asynchronous activities.
LibrariesIt has an advanced toolset with a diverse selection of compilers, debuggers, and libraries. However, it may vary depending on the platform.While it is still in its early stages, Dart has significant tooling support, particularly in IDEs such as IntelliJ IDEA and VSCode. It has a large number of libraries and packages, particularly for Flutter development.
Error HandlingIt relies heavily on error codes as well as lacks built-in support for limitations, requiring more manual error handling.It provides improved ways to manage mistakes and exceptions inside the codebase by implementing exceptions and error handling capabilities.