What does good, modern c code look like?

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+12 Q:

What does good, modern c code look like?

I'm primarily a c#/.NET programmer, but the hobby project that I am about to take on will involve coding in c.

I know that there is a ton of c code out there, but its very hard to separate a well structured c project from a badly structured project if you did not "grow up" with the language. Can anyone point me toward a newer, non trivial (but not enormous) project that is considered a good example of how to structure c code?

Edit

If you cannot find a project, feel free to discuss in words how you think a c project should be structured.

+3 A:

This is completely anecdotal, but I've heard that the SQLite project is considered good code.

Andy Gaskell 2009-08-19 22:04:05

It's a nice API at least :)

Skurmedel 2009-08-19 22:30:14

+5 A:

Check out git source code: http://github.com/git/git/tree/master

Piotr Czapla 2009-08-19 22:07:58

125,000 lines of code for a new C programmer? Are you sure?

Norman Ramsey 2009-08-20 03:51:27

It is all about the structure and the style. You don't have to read every line though.

Piotr Czapla 2009-08-20 09:57:36

+5 A:

I consider Steve Dekorte's IO language implementation to be a good example for clean and pragmatic modern-day C.

earl 2009-08-19 22:10:45

I agree, it's really nice code. I like it and I can understand it ;-)

Friedrich 2009-08-20 09:43:55

+9 A:

Norman Ramsey 2009-08-20 03:50:50

+1 for Lua. I was pleasantly surprised when I took a look under the hood to see if it was going to be acceptable performance and quality wise for an embedded software project I was on.

patros 2009-08-20 03:59:30

Git has consistent style and structure so it is good material to learn. You don't have to ready every line of it!

Piotr Czapla 2009-08-20 10:00:06

@Norman looks like the book is available on Safari. I must have skipped it over because it is 13 years old (assumed it wouldn't be "modern code"), but I'll check it out on your recommendation; thanks!

Giovanni Galbo 2009-08-20 11:38:41

125,000 lines of GIT versus 17,000 lines of Lua doesn't make much diference in this case, since he will not (probably) read every line...

Alceu Costa 2009-08-20 13:30:08

@git advocates: How will the OP know where to get started? Any thoughts?

Norman Ramsey 2009-08-20 17:01:54

+1 A:

How about:

"The C Programming Language", 2nd edition, Kernighan and Ritchie

Answers to Exercises

http://users.powernet.co.uk/eton/kandr2/

2009-08-20 09:35:44

+1 A:

The following book (with code examples) could ease your paradigm shift a bit:

Stephen Kochan

Programming in C, Third Edition

http://www.kochan-wood.com

2009-08-20 13:10:06

+1 A:

amaterasu 2009-08-22 22:22:43

+1 A:

The SVN project is written entirely in C and it is well maintained: consistently styled, good comments, low code smell. I recommend perusing it.

jeffamaphone 2009-08-22 22:25:31

ansaurus

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What does good, modern c code look like?

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