How to learn C programming?

Whether you’re learning C programming for software development, systems programming, or academic purposes, having a clear goal can guide your learning. Consistent practice with coding and debugging is critical. Join communities like Stack Overflow or Reddit's r/C_Programming to ask questions and share knowledge. Work on real projects such as creating small programs. Introduction to C and C++ Specialization by Duke University on is a great starting resource.

What are the best C programming courses on Coursera?

Top options include C Programming for Beginners from Duke University and C Programming for Everybody from the University of Michigan . These courses cover everything from basic syntax to advanced topics like pointers, memory management, and data structures .

Can I learn C programming for free on Coursera?

Yes. Many C programming courses offer a free audit option, allowing learners to access video lessons and reading materials at no cost. To complete assignments or earn a certificate, you’ll need to upgrade or apply for financial aid.

What will I learn in a C programming course?

You’ll learn how to write C code, understand control structures (like loops and conditionals), use functions, work with arrays and strings, and manage memory with pointers. Some courses also cover debugging and testing C programs.

Do I need coding experience to start learning C programming?

Not at all. Many courses are designed for beginners and introduce C concepts step by step. However, some familiarity with basic programming logic can be helpful, especially if you want to move on to more advanced topics or other programming languages.

"Can Coursera’s C programming courses help me in my career? "

Yes. C programming is fundamental in areas like embedded systems , game development , and operating systems. Coursera courses can help you build job-ready skills, strengthen your programming foundation, and prepare for roles that require low-level programming expertise.

Top C Programming Courses - Learn C Programming Online

Find the Best C Programming Course for Your Goals

Status: Free Trial
Codio
Intro to Operating Systems 3: Concurrency
Skills you'll gain: OS Process Management, Operating Systems, System Programming, Performance Tuning, Computer Systems, Data Structures, Debugging
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
31 reviews
Advanced · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Michigan State University
Capstone: Create your own professional journalistic portfolio
Skills you'll gain: Interviewing Skills, Journalism, Report Writing, Investigation, Research, Peer Review, Content Creation, Storytelling, Ethical Standards And Conduct, Data Collection, Writing, Multimedia
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
91 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Codio
Advanced Django: Advanced Django Rest Framework
Skills you'll gain: Django (Web Framework), React.js, Authentications, Secure Coding, Performance Tuning, Scalability, Full-Stack Web Development, Development Testing, Software Testing, Restful API, Javascript
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
26 reviews
Advanced · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Coursera Project Network
Flask for Beginners: Creating an Application
Skills you'll gain: Flask (Web Framework), Application Deployment, Web Applications, Application Frameworks, Application Development, Full-Stack Web Development, Web Development, HTML and CSS
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
14 reviews
Beginner · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Status: Free Trial
University of Minnesota
Cloud Data Security
Skills you'll gain: Cloud Security, Data Security, Cloud Services, Cloud Storage, Personally Identifiable Information, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Data Integrity, Relational Databases, Identity and Access Management, Encryption, SQL
4.2
Rating, 4.2 out of 5 stars
25 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Nanjing University
软件测试 (Software Testing)
Skills you'll gain: Software Testing, Functional Testing, System Testing, Performance Testing, Debugging, Unit Testing, Test Automation, Test Case, Integration Testing, Selenium (Software), Mobile Development
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
34 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Board Infinity
Backend Development using ASP.Net
Skills you'll gain: ASP.NET, Restful API, Model View Controller, JSON, Web Services, Middleware, Back-End Web Development, Web Applications, Server Side, Extensible Markup Language (XML), Routing Protocols
4
Rating, 4 out of 5 stars
61 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
IBM
How to Modernize applications with IBM CICS
Skills you'll gain: Transaction Processing, Hybrid Cloud Computing, COBOL (Programming Language), Mainframe Technologies, Mainframe Computing, IBM Cloud, Cloud Applications, Enterprise Application Management, Application Servers, Application Development, Application Programming Interface (API), Middleware
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
11 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Infosec
Python for Command-and-control, Exfiltration and Impact
Skills you'll gain: Threat Modeling, Cyber Operations, Threat Detection, Cybersecurity, Incident Response, Scripting, Command-Line Interface, Python Programming, Encryption, Network Analysis
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
40 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Codio
Software Testing for Developers
Skills you'll gain: Jest (JavaScript Testing Framework), User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Cucumber (Software), Postman API Platform, Software Testing, Behavior-Driven Development, Test Tools, Selenium (Software), Test Driven Development (TDD), Unit Testing, Acceptance Testing, Performance Testing, Functional Testing, Test Automation, Usability Testing, Application Programming Interface (API), User Interface (UI), Test Case, API Design
4.2
Rating, 4.2 out of 5 stars
15 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Universiteit Leiden
Population Health: Responsible Data Analysis
Skills you'll gain: Statistical Inference, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Regression Analysis, R Programming, Data Analysis, Descriptive Statistics, Epidemiology, Probability & Statistics, Data Ethics, Data Collection, Exploratory Data Analysis, Statistical Reporting, Statistical Modeling, Data Cleansing, Data Security
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
45 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
Vanderbilt University
Scalable Microservices for Developers
Skills you'll gain: Microservices, Spring Boot, Spring Framework, IntelliJ IDEA, Java Programming, Restful API, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Java, Application Deployment, Software Architecture, API Design, Integrated Development Environments, Scalability, Service Oriented Architecture, Web Applications, Software Testing, Unit Testing, Object-Relational Mapping, Distributed Computing, Computer Programming
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
50 reviews
Intermediate · Specialization · 1 - 3 Months