Dependable C

Summary

Why a Dependable C? Dependable C, is an attempt to document a subset of C for developers who want to write Dependable C. Imagine you are using a high level language, Like Python, Java or C#. You need a utility library to handle, some complicated maths, file parsing, or other basic functionality. What language would you want this library to be written in? The obvious one would be the language you are already using, but most languages aren't stable enough for this. A 10 year old Python library is unlikely to run in the version of Python you run without constantly being maintained. You want it to be fast so a compiled language would be better. C++ and Rust suffer from the same backwards compatibility issues and need special toolchains, they also require special bindings to be used form other languages. What you want is a library written in C. Its fast, simple, runs everywhere and in a pinch most people can read the code. But what kind of C do you want it to be written in? You want it to be written in the plainest possible C, that doesn't require any extensions, compiler settings, build steps. You should be able to use it with whatever toolchain your platform has available and not rely on a specific implementation or version of the language. This is a library written in Dependable C. Its not fancy, its not "modern" but it works, always and it runs fast. The most important feature of any code is that you can make it compile and run as intended. That's what Dependable C prioritizes. Not the ergonomics of the programmer, but how much the user can depend on it working for their use. Very few people want to write Dependable C, but everyone wishes everyone else wrote their code in Dependable C. C23, and the upcoming C2Y are language versions that have become increasingly complex, include many new keywords, flow control, and a revised Charter that differs from "Classic C". Later versions of C are also only supported by two implementations out of the hundreds of C implementatio...