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 4: Persistence
Skills you'll gain: File Systems, Operating Systems, Data Integrity, Debugging, Systems Design, Distributed Computing, Data Storage, C (Programming Language), System Programming, Computer Systems, Command-Line Interface, Computer Hardware, Scalability, Version Control
4.6
Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
52 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
JavaScript Full Stack Capstone Project
Skills you'll gain: CI/CD, Full-Stack Web Development, MongoDB, Application Deployment, Cloud Applications, Node.JS, React.js, DevOps, NoSQL, Database Management, Kubernetes, JavaScript Frameworks, Front-End Web Development, Software Architecture, Application Development, Web Applications, Authorization (Computing), Back-End Web Development, Restful API, Application Programming Interface (API)
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
30 reviews
Advanced · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Status: Free Trial
IBM
AI Workflow: Data Analysis and Hypothesis Testing
Skills you'll gain: Data Visualization, Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Presentation, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Dashboard, Data Analysis, Data Science, Probability & Statistics, Statistical Analysis, Jupyter, Matplotlib, Data Cleansing, Pandas (Python Package), Statistical Inference, Statistics, Data Manipulation
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
123 reviews
Advanced · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: New
Packt
Playwright Python and Pytest for Web Automation Testing
Skills you'll gain: Test Automation, Authentications, Continuous Integration, Software Testing, Unit Testing, Event-Driven Programming, Scripting, Browser Compatibility, Behavior-Driven Development, Test Tools, Test Execution Engine, Test Case, GitHub, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), User Interface (UI), Verification And Validation, Debugging
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
6 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 3 - 6 Months
Status: Free Trial
Epic Games
Game Development and Prototyping
Skills you'll gain: Game Design, Video Game Development, Prototyping, Unreal Engine, Animation and Game Design, System Design and Implementation, Creativity, User Interface (UI), Artificial Intelligence
4.3
Rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars
12 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Packt
Learn Automation Testing with Java and Selenium Webdriver
Skills you'll gain: Selenium (Software), JUnit, Eclipse (Software), Java Programming, Java, Test Automation, Integrated Development Environments, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Software Testing, Object Oriented Design, Browser Compatibility, Test Data, Test Tools, Test Case, Computer Programming, Software Quality Assurance, Regression Testing, Development Environment, Programming Principles, HTML and CSS
4.5
Rating, 4.5 out of 5 stars
16 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Coursera Project Network
Build a Website using an API with HTML, JavaScript, and JSON
Skills you'll gain: JSON, Restful API, HTML and CSS, Web Design, Cloud API, Web Development, Application Programming Interface (API), Web Applications, Responsive Web Design, Real Time Data, Javascript
4.1
Rating, 4.1 out of 5 stars
31 reviews
Intermediate · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Duke University
Web Scraping with Python
Skills you'll gain: Web Scraping, Extensible Markup Language (XML), Scripting, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Web Development, Unstructured Data, Web Applications, Python Programming
3.2
Rating, 3.2 out of 5 stars
17 reviews
Intermediate · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Coursera Instructor Network
Algorithmic Solutions: Design, Problem Solving, Reporting
Skills you'll gain: Algorithms, Technical Communication, Pseudocode, Computational Thinking, Solution Design, Programming Principles, Software Design, Theoretical Computer Science, Data Structures, Problem Management, Computer Science
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
23 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Status: Free Trial
Northeastern University
Information Systems Foundations
Skills you'll gain: Systems Thinking, Software Visualization, Object Oriented Design, Object Oriented Programming (OOP), Engineering Software, Web Applications, Software Development Life Cycle, Risk Management, Web Development, Software Design, Data Modeling, Software Engineering, Unified Modeling Language, Business Architecture, Python Programming, Business Process Modeling, Application Development, Computer Programming, Development Environment, Software Installation
2.3
Rating, 2.3 out of 5 stars
11 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
Duke University
Introduction to FastAPI framework
Skills you'll gain: Restful API, Application Programming Interface (API), Application Deployment, Software Documentation, Web Applications, JSON, Application Development, Server Side, Program Development, Test Tools, Python Programming, Data Validation
2.7
Rating, 2.7 out of 5 stars
23 reviews
Intermediate · Guided Project · Less Than 2 Hours
Status: Free Trial
University of California San Diego
Capstone: Analyzing (Social) Network Data
Skills you'll gain: Network Analysis, Graph Theory, Technical Communication, Data Structures, Social Sciences, Analytical Skills, Algorithms, Analysis, Computer Science, Research
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
99 reviews
Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months