Why C May Not Be the Low-Level Language Programmers Think It Is

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A 2018 paper published in ACM Queue challenges the widely held assumption that C is a low-level programming language. The article argues that C is built on an abstract machine model that does not closely map to modern hardware architectures. This disconnect can lead to performance inefficiencies and security vulnerabilities when programmers assume direct hardware control. The paper resurfaced on Hacker News, attracting renewed discussion among developers and systems programmers.

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