oz123/awesome-c

★ 11,284Audience · developerComplexity · 1/5LicenseSetup · easy

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((awesome-c))
    Categories
      AI and data
      Networking
      Cryptography
      Data structures
    Resources
      Libraries
      Build tools
      Compilers
    Learning
      Books
      Tutorials
    Audience
      C programmers
      Beginners

mindmap root((awesome-c)) Categories AI and data Networking Cryptography Data structures Resources Libraries Build tools Compilers Learning Books Tutorials Audience C programmers Beginners

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Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Find a vetted open-source C library for a specific task like networking, cryptography, or data structures.

USE CASE 2

Check the license of a C library before adding it to a commercial project.

USE CASE 3

Discover beginner books and tutorials to get started with C programming.

Tech stack

Getting it running

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Share and adapt this list freely as long as you credit the source and release any changes under the same Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license.

In plain English

This repository is a curated directory of open-source C programming resources: libraries, tools, frameworks, and learning materials. It covers only pure C, not C++, and every entry listed must be open source under a recognized license. The project itself is released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license, meaning you can share and adapt the list as long as you credit the source and use the same license. The list is organized into dozens of categories, each covering a different area of software development. Categories include AI and machine learning, build systems, compilers, compression, data structures, databases, cryptography, networking, graphics, testing, and many more. Each entry gives the library name, a one-sentence description, and the license it uses. This makes it straightforward to check whether a given tool fits your legal requirements before adopting it. The intended audience is C programmers who need to find a reliable library or tool for a specific task rather than writing everything from scratch. Instead of searching the web and sifting through irrelevant results, a developer can come here and scan a focused list maintained by contributors who have already vetted the options. The learning section adds value for beginners or people transitioning into C, pointing toward books and tutorials at different skill levels. Contributions are welcome, but the README points to a CONTRIBUTING.md file with guidelines that must be read first. The list excludes anything that is not purely open source or that relates to C++ rather than C. The full README is longer than what was shown.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1

I'm building a C project that needs JSON parsing. Based on the awesome-c list, which open-source libraries should I consider and what are their trade-offs?

Prompt 2

I need a unit testing framework for a C project. What options appear in awesome-c and which is easiest to add to an existing project?

Prompt 3

I want to add cryptography to a C application. Which libraries in awesome-c are permissively licensed and actively maintained?

Prompt 4

I'm learning C from scratch. Which books and tutorials in the awesome-c learning section are best for complete beginners?

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