What is the main purpose of the standard library in C?

The main purpose of the standard library in C is to provide a set of pre-written functions for common tasks. This collection of functions allows programmers to perform a variety of operations without having to develop code from scratch. These functions cover a wide range of functionality, including input/output operations, string manipulation, mathematical computations, and memory management, among others.

By utilizing the standard library, developers can streamline their programming process, improve code readability, and reduce the likelihood of errors since the functions have been tested and optimized. Instead of reinventing the wheel for common tasks, programmers can leverage these pre-defined functions, making the development process more efficient and manageable.

The other options highlight aspects that are not the primary purpose of the standard library, focusing instead on aspects like user-defined functions or language syntax, which are outside the scope of what the standard library directly addresses.