Why conio.h is Not Included in C Programming: Moving Forward in Modern Development

The question of why conio.h is not included in C programming circles often arises from a lack of understanding of evolving technologies and industry standards. This article aims to demystify the reason behind the exclusion of conio.h and provide guidance on adopting modern tools and practices.

The History of conio.h and Its Limitations

conio.h, an ancient header for console control in MS-DOS, has long been considered an outdated and non-standard interface. Its use should be avoided in favor of more robust and industry-standard alternatives. This header was primarily designed for a DOS-specific environment and is not part of any modern programming standards.

Consider the following reasons for avoiding conio.h:

conio.h is an artifact of a bygone era, specifically designed for MS-DOS. It has been obsolete for decades and does not align with current industry standards.

The ncurses library, which is the open-source replacement for curses, provides a more comprehensive and flexible solution for terminal interface and text-based user interfaces.

Most modern companies do not use Turbo C (a compiler that popularized conio.h) because the developers abandoned support in 2006. Continuously investing time in learning conio.h is a waste of resources.

Non-standard headers like conio.h can lead to issues when trying to open-source a project, as few have the necessary tools to work with outdated code.

The Modern Alternative: ncurses

The ncurses library, also known as curses, is the recommended alternative to conio.h. This library is widely used for creating text-based user interfaces (TUIs) and adheres to industry standards.

Key points about ncurses:

ncurses is a powerful toolkit for handling console input and output, supported by a wide range of operating systems.

It is more comprehensive and flexible than conio.h, providing functions for managing windows, screen manipulation, and character input.

The library is actively maintained and has a vast community, ensuring regular updates and support.

ncurses is the preferred choice for open-source and commercial projects that require cross-platform compatibility.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Moving forward in modern development, it is crucial to adopt industry standards and best practices. If you encounter a book or tutorial that uses conio.h, it is highly recommended to discard it immediately. Instead, focus on learning and utilizing ncurses, which is both more powerful and more suitable for contemporary applications.

By making the switch to modern tools and libraries, you will ensure your projects are compatible, efficient, and maintainable in the long run. Embrace the future of programming and leave behind outdated techniques.