22 May
2020
22 May
'20
5:58 p.m.
On Fri, May 22, 2020, 5:52 AM Tyler Adams <coppero1237(a)gmail.com> wrote:
<snip>
So, now Im curious about embedded systems. In my
limited experience, every
"embedded system" I programmed for from 2002-2011 had C as its primary
language. After 2011, I stopped programming embedded systems, so I don't
know after that. Why was C so dominant in this space? Is it because adding
a backend to gcc was free, C was already well known, and C was sufficiently
performant?
I don't know how much gcc contributed to the success of C in the embedded
space. Microcontrollers are often programmed in assembly. They have memory
and speed constraints, much like the PDPs where C began. I think it goes
back to what Larry said about C being so close to the metal.