Really simple NEWB questions... What are the { } for?

Doug101:
Now I'm totally confused. Is there web site or YouTube video that explains this correctly?

"what we have here is a failure to communicate "

It is apparent that for you to gain SOME understanding of computer codding you are looking for
concise step by step instructions / tutorial.

If you look at you favorite resource - there is a ' wiki ' stating that "K@R" book is considered one of the better , maybe even best , technical book.
As such it covers the C language (programming) in a SEQUENCE.
"And that's the way it is... "( sorry for all the quotes )

You seems to want EVERYTHING all at once, perhaps you are member of "instant gratification generations".
It just does not work that way in many things in life - coding included.
When you get the hang of coding - then there is programming.
Yes - the are separate!

Back to OP

Yes, you have asked good question, now is the time to build your program.
I would use one of many "examples" in IDE - perhaps the "blink LED" variety.

  1. Everything in "computer" is a file .
  2. Everything in a program is a function - for(....) "loop" as an example

As always there are exceptions to both.
Cheers