Here's an example of how ATS makes a C API safer, similar to the API in the K&R example (it deals with memory/string copying): http://www.bluishcoder.co.nz/2012/08/30/safer-handling-of-c-...

ATS provides all the low level hackery that C can do but allows more information to be encoded in types to ensure that is safe. It also provides high level features from functional programming languages like higher order functions, pattern matching, etc.