Keywords in C

Keywords in C: Understanding the Building Blocks of the Language

Keywords are an essential part of any programming language, including C. These reserved words have a specific meaning within the language and cannot be used as identifiers or variable names. In this article, we will explore the keywords in C, their uses, and some examples of how they are used in code.

What are Keywords in C?

Keywords in C are reserved words that have a specific meaning within the language. These words cannot be used as variable names or identifiers and are used to identify and specify programming constructs. The C language has a total of 32 keywords that are recognized by the compiler. Some of the keywords in C are:

• auto
• break
• case
• char
• const
• continue
• default
• do
• double
• else
• enum
• extern
• float
• for
• goto
• if
• int
• long
• register
• return
• short
• signed
• sizeof
• static
• struct
• switch
• typedef
• union
• unsigned
• void
• volatile
• while

These keywords cannot be used as variable names or identifiers, and attempting to do so will result in a compiler error.

Usage of Keywords in C

Keywords in C are used to define programming constructs and specify the behavior of the program. Let’s take a look at some of the common uses of C keywords.

Variables and Data Types:

The keywords char, int, float, double, and void are used to define data types in C. These keywords are used to specify the type of data that will be stored in a variable.

// Defining an integer variable using the keyword "int"int my_integer = 10;// Defining a character variable using the keyword "char"char my_char = 'a';// Defining a floating-point variable using the keyword "float"float my_float = 3.14;

Control Statements:

The keywords if, else, switch, case, and default are used to define control statements in C. These statements are used to control the flow of execution in a program.

// Using the "if" keyword to define a conditional statementif (my_integer == 10) {  printf("The variable is equal to 10");}// Using the "switch" and "case" keywords to define a switch statementswitch (my_integer) {case 1:printf("The variable is equal to 1");break;case 2:printf("The variable is equal to 2");break;default:printf("The variable is not equal to 1 or 2");}

Loops:

The keywords for, while, and do are used to define loops in C. These loops are used to repeat a block of code a certain number of times.

// Using the "for" keyword to define a for loopfor (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) {  printf("%d\n", i);}// Using the "while" keyword to define a while loopint i = 0;while (i < 10) {printf("%d\n", i);i++;}// Using the "do" keyword to define a do-while loopint j = 0;do {printf("%d\n", j);j++;} while (j < 10)

Functions:

The keywords return, void, and int are used to define functions in C. These keywords are used to specify the return type of a function and whether the function takes any parameters.

// Defining a function that takes an integer parameter and returns an integer valueint square(int num) {  return num * num;}// Defining a function that takes no parameters and returns no value (void)void say_hello() {printf("Hello, World!\n");}

Storage Classes:

The keywords auto, register, static, extern, and typedef are used to define storage classes in C. These keywords are used to specify the scope and lifetime of variables.

// Using the "static" keyword to define a static variablevoid my_function() {  static int count = 0;  printf("%d\n", count);  count++;}// Using the "extern" keyword to declare an external variableextern int my_external_variable;

Conclusion

Keywords are an essential part of the C programming language, providing a way to define programming constructs and specify the behavior of the program. In this article, we have covered the 32 keywords in C and their uses, including defining data types, control statements, loops, functions, and storage classes. Remember that keywords are reserved words and cannot be used as variable names or identifiers. By understanding these building blocks of the language, you will be better equipped to write efficient and effective C programs.

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