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D (Programming Language) VS C

Compare D (Programming Language) VS C and see what are their differences

D (Programming Language) logo D (Programming Language)

D is a language with C-like syntax and static typing.

C logo C

One of the most widely used programming languages of all time
  • D (Programming Language) Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-09
  • C Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-17

We recommend LibHunt C for discovery and comparisons of trending C projects.

D (Programming Language) features and specs

  • Performance
    D is designed to be a high-performance systems programming language, offering performance comparable to C and C++ through native machine code compilation.
  • Expressiveness
    D features a rich standard library and modern language constructs, such as garbage collection, first-class arrays, and advanced templating, making it easier to write expressive and maintainable code.
  • Memory Safety
    D offers optional garbage collection along with manual memory management. This hybrid approach can help in developing safer applications by reducing memory-related errors.
  • Interoperability
    D can easily interoperate with C API, enabling seamless integration with existing C libraries and systems. It also supports better C++ interoperability compared to other languages.
  • Built-in Unit Testing
    D has built-in support for unit tests, allowing developers to write and run tests as part of the language itself, facilitating test-driven development.
  • Concurrency
    D offers built-in concurrency support with message passing, similar to the actor model found in languages like Erlang, making it easier to write concurrent and parallel programs.

Possible disadvantages of D (Programming Language)

  • Adoption
    D is not as widely adopted as other languages like C, C++, or Java. This limited adoption means fewer libraries, frameworks, and community support.
  • Toolchain Maturity
    While D's compilers and tools have improved over the years, they may still lack the maturity and feature set of more established languages, which can affect developer productivity.
  • Learning Curve
    D's richness and combination of paradigms (such as imperative, object-oriented, and functional programming) can present a steep learning curve for new developers.
  • Garbage Collection
    Although D offers optional garbage collection, its reliance on it for memory safety might be seen as a drawback for real-time system development where deterministic memory management is crucial.
  • Ecosystem
    The ecosystem for D is less vibrant compared to more popular languages, leading to potentially fewer third-party libraries, tools, and resources.
  • Standard Library Documentation
    The standard library documentation can be inconsistent or less comprehensive compared to other languages, making it difficult for developers to fully utilize all features of the language.

C features and specs

  • Efficiency
    C provides low-level access to memory and is closely aligned with machine instructions, offering high-performance and efficient use of resources.
  • Portability
    Code written in C can be compiled on various platforms with minimal modification, making it highly portable across different systems.
  • Rich Library Support
    The C programming language has a powerful set of standard libraries that facilitate various operations (e.g., input/output, string handling).
  • Control and Flexibility
    C offers extensive control over system resources and hardware operations, allowing fine-tuning and optimization for specific use cases.
  • Foundation for Other Languages
    Many modern programming languages, like C++, Python, and Java, have their roots in C, making it a foundational language that's beneficial to learn.

Possible disadvantages of C

  • Lack of Abstraction
    C provides less abstraction compared to higher-level languages, which may result in more complex and error-prone code for certain tasks.
  • Manual Memory Management
    The programmer is responsible for managing memory allocation and deallocation, which can lead to memory leaks and other errors if not handled properly.
  • No Built-in Support for Object-Oriented Programming
    C does not natively support object-oriented programming paradigms, which can make modeling complex systems less intuitive compared to OOP languages.
  • Safety Issues
    Lack of bounds checking can lead to buffer overflows and other vulnerabilities, posing security risks in C programs if not carefully addressed.
  • Steeper Learning Curve
    Due to its low-level operations, beginners might find C more difficult to learn compared to higher-level languages with simpler syntax and automatic memory management.

Analysis of D (Programming Language)

Overall verdict

  • Overall, D is a solid programming language choice that balances performance with productivity. It may not be as widely adopted as some other languages, but it has a dedicated community and continues to evolve, making it a viable option for various programming tasks.

Why this product is good

  • The D programming language is considered good by many developers for various reasons. It combines the performance and low-level control of C/C++ with the expressive power and ease of use found in modern languages. D offers features like garbage collection, first-class functions, and compile-time function execution, providing both speed and flexibility. Its interoperability with C, the convenience of a powerful standard library (Phobos), and the availability of packages via the DUB package manager make it a practical choice for systems programming, application development, and rapid prototyping.

Recommended for

  • System programming enthusiasts looking for an alternative to C/C++
  • Developers interested in writing high-performance applications
  • Programmers who appreciate modern language features and strong community support
  • Projects requiring seamless C integration
  • Individuals looking for a language that supports easy code maintenance and scalability

D (Programming Language) videos

D Language Tutorial

C videos

Mercedes C-Class 2020 in-depth review | carwow Reviews

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to D (Programming Language) and C)
Programming Language
74 74%
26% 26
OOP
80 80%
20% 20
Generic Programming Language
Development
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare D (Programming Language) and C

D (Programming Language) Reviews

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C Reviews

Top 5 Most Liked and Hated Programming Languages of 2022
C is one of the oldest programming languages. There are numerous other languages that came in after C like Java, PHP, etc., and have managed to outshine the former. When compared to C, other languages boast of a series of features thereby making it a less favourable one.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, D (Programming Language) seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 60 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

D (Programming Language) mentions (60)

  • Ask HN: What is your (AI) dev tech stack / workflow? (June 2026)
    I've spent 2 weeks (2-4h per day) to make D language[1] version of Sciter SDK [2] Choice of AI "tooling" was by accident - typed something like "how to define copy constructor in D for custom structure" in Microsoft's Copilot in Edge browser that gives context for AI. The answer was good enough for me and so I went with it further. [1] D language HQ : https://dlang.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Rue: Higher level than Rust, lower level than Go
    > Mostly, I am not really trying to compete with C/C++/Rust on speed, but I'm not going to add a GC either. So I'm somewhere in there. Out of curiosity, how would you compare the goals of Rue with something like D[0] or one of the ML-based languages such as OCaml[1]? 0 - https://dlang.org/ 1 - https://ocaml.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Pony: An actor-model, capabilities-secure, high-performance programming language
    The D language home page has something similar with a drop down with code examples https://dlang.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Show HN: D++lang – A new systems programming language with Python-like syntax
    What is this? There's a lot of red flags here. * The name "D" for a programming language was taken in 1999: https://dlang.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Koto Programming Language
    >For me the biggest gap in programming languages is a rust like language with a garbage collector, instead of a borrow checker. I cannot agree more that's the much needed sweet spot/Goldilock/etc. Personally I have been advocating this approach for some times. Apparently the language is already widely available and currently has stable and wide compiler support including the venerable GNU compiler suite (GDC). It... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
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C mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of C yet. Tracking of C recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing D (Programming Language) and C, you can also consider the following products

C++ - Has imperative, object-oriented and generic programming features, while also providing the facilities for low level memory manipulation

Python - Python is a clear and powerful object-oriented programming language, comparable to Perl, Ruby, Scheme, or Java.

Nim (programming language) - The Nim programming language is a concise, fast programming language that compiles to C, C++ and JavaScript.

Rust - A safe, concurrent, practical language

V (programming language) - Simple, fast, safe, compiled language for developing maintainable software.

NIM - GB64.COM is the home of The Gamebase Collection of C64 games.