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(libc.info)Getting Started

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Getting Started
===============

   This manual is written with the assumption that you are at least
somewhat familiar with the C programming language and basic programming
concepts.  Specifically, familiarity with ISO standard C (Note: ISO
C), rather than "traditional" pre-ISO C dialects, is assumed.

   The GNU C library includes several "header files", each of which
provides definitions and declarations for a group of related facilities;
this information is used by the C compiler when processing your program.
For example, the header file `stdio.h' declares facilities for
performing input and output, and the header file `string.h' declares
string processing utilities.  The organization of this manual generally
follows the same division as the header files.

   If you are reading this manual for the first time, you should read
all of the introductory material and skim the remaining chapters.
There are a _lot_ of functions in the GNU C library and it's not
realistic to expect that you will be able to remember exactly _how_ to
use each and every one of them.  It's more important to become
generally familiar with the kinds of facilities that the library
provides, so that when you are writing your programs you can recognize
_when_ to make use of library functions, and _where_ in this manual you
can find more specific information about them.