D is a general-purpose systems programming language created by Walter Bright. According to the official D language specification, D is “a general-purpose systems programming language with a C-like syntax that compiles to native code.” It keeps the low-level access and performance that systems work demands while smoothing over many of the rough edges that accumulated in C and C++.
A distinctive part of D’s design is its flexible approach to memory. The specification notes that D “is statically typed and supports both automatic (garbage collected) and manual memory management.” This lets a programmer lean on garbage collection for convenience in most code, yet drop down to manual control where predictable, low-overhead behavior is required.
D was designed by someone with deep compiler experience. Walter Bright’s own site describes him as “the creator and first implementer of the D programming language,” and he had previously written the first native C++ compiler. That background shaped D as a pragmatic reimagining of C++: familiar C-like syntax, modular compilation, and native libraries or executables, but with a cleaner and more modern language core.
Because D compiles directly to native code and can interface with C, it occupies a similar niche to C and C++, appealing to programmers who want native performance without giving up modern conveniences.