Programmers rejoice! A new MagPi Essentials book called Learn to Code with C has been released.

Learn to Code with C was written by The Raspberry Pi Foundation's very own Simon Long. The UX engineer responsible for much of Raspbian's greatness.

Written by someone who knows their stuff, Learn to Code with C is your guide to the world's most popular programming language. It's free and open source, so you should pick up a copy right now.

• Click here to download Learn to Code with C

While C is a big step up from Python, we can't think of a better tour guide than this plain-speaking book.

Why you should learn C on a Raspberry Pi

Learning the C programming language will give you masterful control over a computer. "It can give you control over the smallest details of how a processor operates but is still simple to learn and read," says Simon. "This series is an introduction to programming in C for absolute beginners; you don’t need any previous programming experience, and a Raspberry Pi running Raspbian is all you need to get started."

Moreover, a working knowledge of coding is a must have tool for your digital toolbox. This imperative language is used to create everything from digital toasters up to massive commercial projects.

Most of Linux and the Raspbian operating system is coded in C. As a consequence, learning it gives you a real insight into how programming, and computers, work.

Inside Learn to Code with C

The MagPi Essentials: Learn to Code with C has thirteen chapters, covering every aspect of the language:

• Getting started: What’s so great about C?
• Variables & Arithmetic: Create variables and do maths
• Conditions & Comparisons: Control the flow of your C programs
• More Advanced Flow Control: For loops and case statements
• Pointers: Variables have addresses too
• Functions: Split your code into bite-sized chunks
• Arrays & Strings: Handle lists of values, and letters
• The String Library: Simplify common operations on strings
• User Input: Reading and interpreting user input
• File Input and Output: Learn to read from and write to files
• More about Types and Variables: Type definitions, enumerations & more
• Header Files and the Preprocessor: Splitting code up into multiple files
• Quick Reference: Cheat sheets and code examples