Unlike languages, such as the FORTRAN 77, language C has the initial text in the free form that allows any use whitespace to format the code or a text line of the based restriction.

Each initial file contains function and declaration definitions. Function definitions, in turn, contain declarations and statements. Declarations define any new types, using keywords, such as struct, union and enum, or appoints types and, probably, reserve storage for new variables, usually by the letter, accompanied by a variable name. Keywords, such as char and int define the built in types. Code sections are enclosed in clamp ({and}, sometimes named "twisted brackets") to limit area of declarations and to operate as the unique statement for control structures.



As obligatory language, C uses statements to define actions. The most general statement - the statement of expression consisting of expression which will be estimated as a by-effect of an estimation, functions and variables. To change normal consecutive performance of statements, language C provides some statements of a stream of the control, identified by the saved keywords. The structured programming supports if (-else) conditional performance and do-while, while, and for repeating performance. The statement for has a separate initialization, testing and reinitialization expressions, any of which can be lowered. Keywords break and continue can be used to leave the most internal statement of a loop of the application or the admission to its reinitialization. Is also not structured goto the statement which branches out is direct to a defined label within function. switch chooses a case how to be executed and based on value of expression of an integer.

Expressions can use various set of the built in operators and can contain inquiries of function. The order in which operands to the majority of operators just as arguments to functions, is not specified are estimated; estimations can even be rotate. However, all by-effects (including storage of variables) will occur before the following "sequence point"; sequence points switch on the end of each statement of expression and an input in and come back from each inquiry of function. It resolves high degree of code optimisation of object the compiler, but demands, that programmers C have shown more cares to receive reliable results, than are that are necessary for other programming languages.

Though syntax imitates many languages because of its widespread friendship, syntax C's was criticised often. For example, Kernighan and Ritchie speak in the second release of Programming language C, "at C, as well as any other language, there are stains. At some of operators is wrong precedence; some parts of syntax could be better".

Some remarks concerning value problems:

Check does not number types of arguments when the function declaration has an empty list of parametre.

Some doubtful elections precedence the operator

Use = the operator used in the mathematician for equality to specify purpose, after FORTRAN precedent, PL/I, and the BASIC, but unlike ALGOL and its derivatives. Ritchie made this decision of the project of syntax meaningly, being based, first of all, on argument, that purpose occurs more often, than comparison.

Similarity of operators of purpose and equality (= and ==) gives simplification casually to take a place of another. The weak system of type C's allows to be used to everyone in a context of another without a compilation error (though some compilers make preventions).

Shortage of operators of an infix for compound objects, especially for sequence operations, does programs which rely hard on these operations, a little difficult for reading.

Syntax of the declaration find as not possessing intuition, especially for function indexes. (Idea Ritchie's consisted in declaring identifiers in the contexts reminding their use: "the declaration reflects use").