The Future of the C Language After C23: Will We Soon See “C2Y”?

After the official release of the C23 standard (also known as ISO/IEC 9899:2024), many developers have begun to ask:

Is there a confirmed release date for the next version of the C language?

And when will we see what is currently being called C2Y?

The direct answer is: There is no official announcement yet regarding the release date of the next C standard. However, signs indicate that work on it is already underway behind the scenes.

From Where We Started to Where We Are Now

C, the language that laid the foundation for most modern programming languages, has been continuously developed and standardized under the ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 22/WG 14 committee. From C89 to C99, then C11, C17, and most recently C23, the committee has followed a steady and cautious rhythm of evolution—prioritizing stability and reliability over rapid change.

Today, following the formal adoption of C23 in 2024, the committee has already begun preparing for the next standard, provisionally named “C2Y”—the successor to C23.

What Do We Know About C2Y So Far?

The WG14 committee has officially listed “C2Y” as the next revision of the C standard in its project registry.
As of now, its status remains “Not available”, meaning no public drafts or working papers have been released yet.
The committee has not published an official timeline, voting schedule, or target publication year.

How Long Are We Likely to Wait?

Looking back at the history of previous C standards:

Standard	Year Released	Time Gap
C11	2011	—
C17	2017	6 years
C23	2024	7 years

Following this pattern, it is reasonable to expect that the next revision may appear sometime between 2029 and 2031, assuming the current development pace continues.

What Happens Behind the Timeline

Developing a new C standard is not a quick or simple process. It typically involves:

Years of technical discussions and revisions within the committee.
Input and feedback from major companies and the global developer community.
Careful validation to maintain backward compatibility with millions of existing C programs.

Every proposed change goes through rigorous testing, debate, and review, as even the smallest modification can have far-reaching effects across platforms and compilers.

A Language That Never Dies—It Matures

Despite the slow pace of updates, C remains the beating heart of low-level programming. It continues to power operating systems, compilers, kernels, and embedded systems around the world.

Even if “C2Y” takes several more years to arrive, the community understands that each new version of C is not meant to be a revolution, but a carefully measured evolution—one that protects the language’s timeless principles of simplicity, performance, and reliability.