Best C Language Tutorials on YouTube for Beginners & Pros

8/11/2025

The Absolute Best C Language Tutorials You Can Find on YouTube

What's up, everyone? If you're looking to learn C, you've probably already figured out that YouTube is a goldmine of free tutorials. But honestly, there's SO much out there that it can be a little overwhelming. Who's actually good? Who's just reading from a textbook? & who will actually help you understand C, not just memorize syntax?

Here's the thing, I've spent a ton of time digging through channels, watching hours of videos, & figuring out which tutorials are the real deal. Turns out, the "best" one really depends on how you like to learn. Are you a complete beginner who needs someone to hold your hand? Or are you looking for a deep dive into the nitty-gritty of memory management?

This guide is my brain dump of everything I've found. We're going to break down the absolute best C language tutorials on YouTube, so you can find the perfect one for you & get coding.

For the "I Have No Idea What I'm Doing" Beginner

If you're starting from square one, you need a channel that's patient, thorough, & doesn't assume you know anything about programming. These are my top picks for absolute beginners.

freeCodeCamp.org

Let's just get this one out of the way because it's a behemoth in the learn-to-code space, & for good reason. The "C Programming Tutorial for Beginners" on their channel is a fantastic starting point. It's a full-length course, we're talking hours of content, that takes you from setting up your development environment on Windows or Mac to understanding core concepts like variables, data types, functions, & pointers.

What I really like about the freeCodeCamp approach is that they don't just lecture you. They walk you through building small, practical projects like a basic calculator or a Mad Libs game. This is HUGE for beginners because you get to see the concepts you're learning actually do something. It makes it all click in a way that just reading about it never will.

The main C tutorial on their channel is developed by Mike Dane, & he has a really clear, easy-to-follow teaching style. He breaks down complex topics into bite-sized, digestible chunks. The only downside, if you can call it that, is that freeCodeCamp's content is so comprehensive that it can feel a little bit like drinking from a firehose at times. But hey, it's all there, & it's all free.

CodeWithHarry

CodeWithHarry is another gem for beginners, especially if you're looking for a more "buddy" style of teaching. Harry has a really relaxed, conversational approach that makes you feel like you're learning from a friend. His C programming playlist is incredibly popular, & it's easy to see why. He explains every single line of code, which is SO helpful when you're just starting out.

What sets CodeWithHarry apart is the wealth of supplementary materials he provides. We're talking a PDF handbook, handwritten notes, & even a cheatsheet to go along with his 10-hour tutorial. This is pretty cool because it caters to different learning styles. Some people learn best by watching, others by reading, & Harry gives you both. He also includes practice sets after each chapter, so you can test your knowledge as you go.

ProgrammingKnowledge

This channel is a bit more old-school, but in a good way. It's run by an individual who provides incredibly detailed & in-depth tutorials on C programming. The "C Programming Tutorials for Beginners" playlist is a complete series that covers everything from the basics to more advanced topics.

What I appreciate about ProgrammingKnowledge is its focus on the different standards of C, like ANSI, GNU, & K/R. This might not seem important when you're just starting, but it gives you a deeper understanding of the language's history & evolution. The videos are well-organized & the examples are simple & easy to follow. If you're someone who likes a more structured, academic approach to learning, this channel is a great choice.

For the "Show Me, Don't Just Tell Me" Learner: Project-Based Tutorials

Honestly, the best way to learn any programming language is by building stuff. It's one thing to understand what a

for

loop is, but it's another thing entirely to use it to build a working application. Here are some channels & videos that are all about project-based learning.

Building a Match-3 Game with Raylib

This is a SUPER cool tutorial on the freeCodeCamp channel, created by Erik Yuzwa. It walks you through building a complete Match-3 game (think Candy Crush) from scratch using C & the Raylib graphics library. You'll learn how to create the game loop, handle tile matching logic, implement a scoring system, & even add animations & sound effects.

This is a fantastic project for a few reasons. First, it's a real, polished game, not just a simple command-line application. Second, it introduces you to a graphics library, which is a great way to start exploring the more visual side of programming. & third, it's just plain fun!

Making a Video Game from Scratch in C

If you're feeling REALLY ambitious, you have to check out this series by Ryan Ries. He takes you on a journey of programming a retro, NES-style video game from scratch. & when I say from scratch, I mean it. He uses almost no external libraries or engines, just pure C code.

This series is a masterclass in low-level programming. You'll learn how a computer actually works, how memory is laid out, & how to build everything from the ground up. It's not for the faint of heart, but if you want a DEEP understanding of C & computer science in general, this is the tutorial for you.

"C Projects for beginners" Playlist

There are a few playlists out there with this name, but the general idea is the same: to provide a collection of small projects that you can build to practice your C skills. These playlists are great because they offer a variety of different projects, so you can pick & choose the ones that interest you. You'll find things like building a digital clock, a simple calculator, a login system, & even a Sudoku solver.

For the "I Already Know the Basics, Now What?" Learner: Advanced Tutorials

Once you've got the fundamentals down, you'll probably be hungry for more. C is a deep language, & there's always more to learn. Here are a few resources for taking your C skills to the next level.

Sanfoundry's "Advanced C Programming"

This channel has a great playlist on advanced C programming that dives into some of the trickier aspects of the language. It starts with some tricky code snippets to test your existing knowledge & then gets into the nitty-gritty of how things work behind the scenes. This is a great resource if you're preparing for technical interviews, as it covers the kind of questions you're likely to be asked.

Jacob Sorber's Channel

Jacob Sorber is a professor, & his channel is full of fantastic, in-depth content on C & systems programming. He has videos on topics like function pointers, type casting, & how functions like

printf()

actually work under the hood. His explanations are clear, concise, & he has a real knack for making complex topics understandable.

A Quick Word on Learning C

Here's the thing about learning C: it can be tough. It's a low-level language, which means you have to deal with things like memory management manually. This can be a bit of a shock if you're coming from a higher-level language like Python or JavaScript. But don't let that discourage you! Learning C will give you a fundamental understanding of how computers work that will make you a better programmer, no matter what language you end up specializing in.

How Arsturn Can Help Your Business

Now, you might be wondering what all this has to do with Arsturn. Well, a lot of the software that powers businesses, from operating systems to databases, is written in C. But when it comes to engaging with customers on your website, you need a solution that's a bit more modern & user-friendly.

That's where Arsturn comes in. If you're a business owner, you know how important it is to provide instant support to your website visitors. But hiring a 24/7 customer service team can be expensive. Turns out, you can use AI to do a lot of the heavy lifting.

Arsturn helps businesses create custom AI chatbots trained on their own data. These chatbots can be embedded on your website to provide instant answers to customer questions, engage with visitors, & even generate leads. It's a no-code platform, which means you don't need to be a C programming expert to build a powerful AI chatbot for your business. Pretty cool, right?

With Arsturn, you can build a chatbot that understands your business & can provide personalized experiences to your customers. It's like having a virtual assistant that's always on, ready to help your customers & grow your business. This is the kind of conversational AI that helps businesses build meaningful connections with their audience.

Wrapping It Up

So there you have it, a complete rundown of the best C language tutorials on YouTube. Whether you're a complete beginner or an experienced programmer looking to level up, there's a channel out there for you.

My advice? Pick a tutorial that looks interesting, stick with it, & most importantly, write a LOT of code. That's the only way you're going to get good.

Hope this was helpful! Let me know what you think, & if you have any other favorite channels for learning C, drop them in the comments below.