---
title: "Why you should learn C in 2026"
url: https://daily.dev/posts/why-you-should-learn-c-in-2026-4q5isq6vk
source_url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te9HXTQUo18
type: video:youtube
source: "NeetCode"
published: 2026-05-12T00:05:23.158Z
updated: 2026-05-12T00:05:46.886Z
tags: ["c", "ai-coding"]
reading_time: 19
upvotes: 27
comments: 5
language: en
---

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# Why you should learn C in 2026

**[NeetCode](https://daily.dev/sources/neetcode)** · 19 min read · 27 upvotes · 5 comments

## Summary

A commentary on why learning C remains valuable in 2026, drawing on clips from a podcast featuring CS50's professor David Malan. The core argument is that learning C isn't about using it professionally but about building foundational thinking skills: understanding how computers work from first principles, reasoning through trade-offs, and developing problem-solving habits that transfer to any engineering context. The discussion also touches on whether computer science education is still worth pursuing in the age of AI, with the conclusion that problem-solving and systems thinking remain irreplaceable even as AI handles more code generation.

## Full article

daily.dev links to this article rather than hosting it. Read it at the original source: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te9HXTQUo18>

## Community discussion

Top comments from developers on daily.dev.

**@qwertydiy** · 6 upvotes

> But you can also use it professionally and it is very simmilar to the hot C++ and Go.

**@ysk8** · 3 upvotes

> Actually programming on limited resources hardware like microcontrollers either 8bits, 16bits or 32bits helps you to understand many architecture aspects, whether using C or C++, or even assembler.

**@guglielmorizzo** · 1 upvotes

> God
>
> ![IMG_2417.jpeg](https://media.daily.dev/image/upload/s--szXMRCoM--/f_auto/v1778619614/ugc/content_17f62ed7-f7d8-4894-872b-4ae2ddaac404?_a=BAMAMiWQ0)

**@hexapaws** · 0 upvotes

> C dusty but you might get used to this

**@renehoehle** · 0 upvotes

> I learn only languages i need. When you learn C only to learn it then you don't really know the language. It's like learning a language and not using it. Yes sure you understand the hardware better but when you don't have any work for C then you don't need to learn it. Not everyone make software for hardware. I cannot learn everything.

## Similar posts on daily.dev

- [Harvard CS50 prof David J. Malan on why you should learn programming slowly \[Podcast \#197\]](https://daily.dev/posts/harvard-cs50-prof-david-j-malan-on-why-you-should-learn-programming-slowly-podcast-197--xfkppucu7) · freeCodeCamp · 6 upvotes · 1 comments

---

Tags: [#c](https://daily.dev/tags/c), [#ai-coding](https://daily.dev/tags/ai-coding)

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