Keywords in C Programming

Hello Everyone, In this article, we’ll cover the concept of Keywords in C Programming. Keywords are special reserved words that have specific meanings and uses in the C language. In this topic, we’ll define keywords in C programming and explain their importance. We’ll list all the C keywords, describe their functions, and provide usage examples. This guide of C Programming will help you understand the different types of constant in C. Let’s get started.

Keywords in C are the reserved words that have a predefined meaning and functionality in the C programming language. These keywords cannot be used as identifiers or variable names because they are specifically reserved for certain purposes within the language.

Some examples of keywords in C include “int”, “float”, “double”, “char”, “void”, “if”, “else”, “while”, “for”, “switch”, “case”, “default”, “return”, “break”, “continue”, “typedef”, “struct”, “union”, “enum”, “sizeof”, and “const”.

These keywords serve as building blocks for programming in C, and their proper usage is essential for writing correct and effective C code.

Auto Keyword

The auto keyword in C programming is used to declare automatic variables, which are local to the function in which they are defined. By default, all local variables in C are auto variables, so the explicit use of the auto keyword is quite rare and often redundant.

Here’s a simple example to illustrate the use of auto:

#include <stdio.h>

void exampleFunction() {
    auto int a = 10;  // Declaring an auto variable (local to this function)
    printf("Value of a: %d\\n", a);
}

int main() {
    exampleFunction();
    // 'a' is not accessible here, as it's local to exampleFunction.
    return 0;
}

Output:

Value of a: 10

In this program:

1. auto int a = 10; declares an automatic variable a and initializes it to 10. This variable is local to examplefunction.
2. The printf statement inside examplefunction prints the value of a.
3. The variable a cannot be accessed outside examplefunction because it is an automatic (local) variable.

This example demonstrates how auto variables are confined to the scope of the function in which they are declared. Remember, using auto is optional since local variables are auto by default.

Break and Continue Keyword

In C programming, break and continue are control flow statements that are used within loops (for, while, do-while) and switch cases.

1. break: This keyword is used to immediately exit the loop or switch case in which it’s placed. After break is executed, the control flow jumps to the statement following the loop or switch.
2. continue: This keyword skips the remaining code in the current iteration of the loop and jumps to the next iteration. In for loops, it first executes the update statement before checking the condition again.

Here’s an example program to demonstrate break and continue:

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
        if (i == 5) {
            continue;  // Skip the rest of the loop when i is 5
        }
        if (i == 8) {
            break;  // Exit the loop when i is 8
        }
        printf("%d ", i);
    }
    return 0;
}

Output:

0 1 2 3 4 6 7

Explanation:

• The loop iterates from 0 to 9.
• When i is equal to 5, continue is executed, skipping the printf statement for i = 5.
• When i is equal to 8, break is executed, causing an immediate exit from the loop. Therefore, printf is not executed for i = 8 and i = 9.
• For all other values of i, the number is printed.

Switch, Case, and Default Keyword

switch, case, and default are keywords used together to create a switch statement, which is a type of control structure that allows you to execute different code segments based on the value of a variable or an expression. Here’s a brief explanation of each:

1. switch: This keyword is used to start a switch statement. It is followed by a variable or an expression in parentheses. The value of this variable or expression is then compared with the values specified in the case labels.
2. case: Each case keyword is followed by a value and a colon. It specifies a match for the value of the variable or expression used in the switch. If the value matches, the code following that case label is executed until a break statement or the end of the switch block is reached.
3. default: This keyword is used as a fallback case in a switch statement. If none of the case values match the value of the switch expression, the code following the default label is executed. The default case is optional and does not need a break statement, as it is always the last case.

Here’s a simple example to illustrate how these keywords are used together in a program:

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    int number = 2;
    
    switch (number) {
        case 1:
            printf("Number is one.\\n");
            break;
        case 2:
            printf("Number is two.\\n");
            break;
        case 3:
            printf("Number is three.\\n");
            break;
        default:
            printf("Number is not one, two, or three.\\n");
    }

    return 0;
}

In this program, the switch statement evaluates the variable number. Since its value is 2, the program matches this with the case 2: label and executes the code in that block, printing “Number is two.” to the console.

If you run this program, the output will be:

Number is two.

The break statements are used to exit the switch block after a matching case is executed. Without a break, the program would continue executing the code in subsequent cases until a break is encountered or the end of the switch block is reached.

Char Keyword

char keyword is used to declare a character type variable. It is a data type that can store a single character, typically occupying one byte of memory. Characters in C are stored using their ASCII values, an encoding standard for representing characters as numbers.

Here’s a brief explanation of the char data type, followed by a simple program to demonstrate its usage:

1. Char Data Type: A char variable can hold a single character, such as ‘A’, ‘z’, ‘3’, or even special characters like ‘@’. It can also store ASCII values directly, and you can perform arithmetic operations on these values.
2. Character Literals: In C, character literals are enclosed in single quotes, like ‘a’, ‘b’, etc. They represent the ASCII value of the character.

Here is a simple example program that uses the char data type:

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    char letter = 'A';
    printf("The character is: %c\\n", letter);
    printf("ASCII value of the character is: %d\\n", letter);

    // Incrementing the character
    letter++;
    printf("Next character is: %c\\n", letter);
    printf("ASCII value of next character is: %d\\n", letter);

    return 0;
}

In this program:

• We declare a char variable letter and initialize it with the character ‘A’.
• We use %c in printf to print the character stored in letter.
• We also use %d to print the ASCII value of the character.
• Then, we increment the letter variable using letter++, which changes its value to the next character in the ASCII sequence.

If you run this program, the output will be:

The character is: A
ASCII value of the character is: 65
Next character is: B
ASCII value of next character is: 66

This output shows the initial character (‘A’) and its ASCII value (65), followed by the character after incrementing (‘B’) and its ASCII value (66).

Const Keyword

In C programming, the const keyword is used to declare variables whose values cannot be modified after they are set. Essentially, const creates read-only variables. This is useful for defining constants, ensuring that the value doesn’t accidentally get changed elsewhere in the program.

Here’s a closer look at how const works:

1. const Variables: When a variable is declared with const, it means that its value cannot be altered after initialization. If you try to change a const variable, the compiler will throw an error.
2. Usage in Functions: The const keyword can also be used in function parameters to indicate that the function should not modify the argument.
3. Pointers and const: const can be used with pointers in different ways. For instance, you can declare a pointer to a const data, meaning you cannot modify the data through this pointer, or a const pointer, which means you cannot change what the pointer points to.

Here’s a simple example to illustrate the use of const:

#include <stdio.h>int main() {
    const int MY_CONST = 10;

    printf("The constant value is: %d\\n", MY_CONST);

    // Uncommenting the following line would cause a compile-time error
    // MY_CONST = 20;

    return 0;
}

In this program:

• We declare a const int variable MY_CONST and initialize it with the value 10.
• We then print the value of MY_CONST.
• If you try to uncomment the line MY_CONST = 20;, the compiler will generate an error because you are attempting to modify a const variable.

When you run this program, the output will be:

The constant value is: 10

This output shows the value of the constant. Remember, if you try to modify MY_CONST by removing the comment, the program will not compile, demonstrating the enforcement of the const qualifier.

Do Keyword

The do keyword is used as part of the do-while loop, a post-tested loop that ensures the code block inside the loop is executed at least once. The do-while loop is similar to the while loop, but the key difference is that the do-while loop checks its condition at the end of the loop body.

Here’s how it works:

1. Structure of do-while Loop:
   • The loop starts with the do keyword, followed by a block of code enclosed in curly braces {}.
   • After the code block, the while keyword is used, followed by a condition in parentheses ().
   • The loop ends with a semicolon ;.
2. Execution Flow:
   • The code block inside the do part is executed first.
   • After executing the block, the condition specified in the while part is evaluated.
   • If the condition is true, the loop runs again, repeating the code block. If the condition is false, the loop ends.
3. Use Case: The do-while loop is particularly useful when you need to ensure that the loop body is executed at least once, regardless of whether the loop condition is initially true or false.

Here is an example program that uses a do-while loop:

#include <stdio.h>int main() {
    int count = 1;

    do {
        printf("Count is: %d\\n", count);
        count++;
    } while (count <= 5);

    return 0;
}

In this program:

• We have a counter variable count initialized to 1.
• Inside the do-while loop, we print the value of count and then increment it.
• The loop continues to run as long as count is less than or equal to 5.

If you run this program, the output will be:

Count is: 1
Count is: 2
Count is: 3
Count is: 4
Count is: 5

This output shows the loop running five times, incrementing and printing count each time until the condition count <= 5 becomes false.

Double and Float Keyword

In C programming, float and double are two data types used for representing floating-point numbers, which are numbers that can have a fractional part. These two types differ in their precision and range:

1. float:
   • A float variable is a single-precision floating-point data type.
   • It typically requires 4 bytes of memory.
   • float provides approximately 6-7 decimal digits of precision.
   • Suitable for most applications where approximate real numbers are sufficient.
2. double:
   • A double variable is a double-precision floating-point data type.
   • It usually takes 8 bytes of memory.
   • double provides about 15-16 decimal digits of precision.
   • Preferred when higher precision in calculations is required.

Here’s an example program illustrating the use of float and double:

#include <stdio.h>int main() {
    float floatValue = 3.14159f;  // 'f' suffix denotes a float literal
    double doubleValue = 3.141592653589793;

    printf("Float value is: %f\\n", floatValue);
    printf("Double value is: %lf\\n", doubleValue);

    return 0;
}

In this program:

• We declare a float variable floatValue and initialize it with a floating-point number. The f at the end of the number signifies that it is a float literal.
• We also declare a double variable doubleValue with a more precise value.
• Both values are printed using printf. Note that %f is used for both float and double in printf, but %lf is more specifically for double to indicate long float (double).

When you run this program, the output will be something like:

Float value is: 3.141590
Double value is: 3.141593

The output shows the floating-point numbers printed with their respective precision. The float value is rounded to fewer decimal places than the double value, demonstrating the difference in precision between these two types.

if-else Keyword

In C programming, if and else are conditional statements used to perform different actions based on different conditions. These keywords allow you to execute certain parts of code only when specific conditions are met.

1. if Statement:
   • The if statement is used to test a condition. It is written as if (condition) { // code }.
   • If the condition is true, the code inside the if block is executed. If the condition is false, the if block is skipped.
2. else Statement:
   • The else statement is used in conjunction with an if statement.
   • It is written as else { // code } and is placed after an if block.
   • The code inside the else block is executed only if the if condition is false.
3. else if Statement:
   • This is an optional extension of the if statement which allows you to check multiple conditions.
   • Written as else if (condition) { // code }, it is placed after an if block and before an else block.
   • It lets you specify a new condition to test if the previous if condition was false.

Here’s an example program using if, else if, and else:

#include <stdio.h>int main() {
    int number = 10;

    if (number > 0) {
        printf("Number is positive.\\n");
    } else if (number < 0) {
        printf("Number is negative.\\n");
    } else {
        printf("Number is zero.\\n");
    }

    return 0;
}

In this program:

• We have an integer variable number set to 10.
• The if (number > 0) checks if number is greater than 0. Since it is, it prints “Number is positive.”
• If number were less than 0, the else if (number < 0) block would execute.
• If number were exactly 0, the else block would execute.

When you run this program, the output will be:

Number is positive.

This output indicates that the number was indeed greater than 0, so the code inside the if block was executed. If you change the value of number and run the program again, different blocks of code will execute based on the new value.

enum keyword

The enum keyword in C programming is used to define an enumeration, a user-defined type that consists of a set of named integral constants. An enumeration is a way to group related constants together under a single name, making a program easier to read, maintain, and understand.

Here’s a breakdown of how enum works and its features:

Basic Syntax

The basic syntax for defining an enumeration using the enum keyword is as follows:

enum enum_name { constant1, constant2, ..., constantN };

• enum_name is the name of the enumeration.
• constant1, constant2, …, constantN are the names of the constants that belong to the enumeration. These are often referred to as “enumerators”.

Features

1. Implicit Values: By default, the first enumerator has a value of 0, and each subsequent enumerator’s value is incremented by 1. You can also explicitly assign values to some or all of the enumerators. enum day {sunday, monday, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, friday, saturday}; In this example, sunday will have a value of 0, monday will be 1, and so on.
2. Explicit Values: You can assign specific values to the enumerators as well. enum status {failed=0, success=1}; Here, failed is explicitly set to 0 and success to 1.
3. Type Safety: Enumerations provide a way to define a variable that must be one of the specified enumerators, enhancing type safety and readability.
4. Use with Switch Statements: Enums are often used with switch statements to handle different cases defined by the enumeration.

Example Usage

Here’s a simple example to illustrate the use of enum:

#include <stdio.h>enum week {Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday};

int main() {
    enum week today;
    today = Wednesday;

    printf("Day %d", today);
    return 0;
}

In this example, enum week defines an enumeration for days of the week. The variable today is declared as type enum week, and it’s assigned the value Wednesday. When printed, it will output Day 3, since Wednesday is the fourth enumerator but its value starts from 0.