When comparing Learn C The Hard Way vs Essential C, the Slant community recommends Learn C The Hard Way for most people. In the question“What are the best resources to learn C/C++?” Learn C The Hard Way is ranked 2nd while Essential C is ranked 4th. The most important reason people chose Learn C The Hard Way is:
The book covers very basics such as C syntax, idioms, compilations, make files, linkers and how to find and prevent bugs.
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Designed for people new to C
The book covers very basics such as C syntax, idioms, compilations, make files, linkers and how to find and prevent bugs.
Pro Very practical and hands on
Contains many exercises that will require getting hands dirty very early on.
Pro Can be combined with a video course
A complimentary course is available on Udemy. The course costs $29.
Pro Free
The book is available online for free.
Pro Free
The book is available as a free pdf.
Pro Good quick rundown of the basic features of C
Cons
Con Has errors
Includes technical errors throughout the book.