Understanding Pointers and Functions in C

Front

What is a pointer in C and how is it declared?

Back

A pointer in C is a variable that stores the address of another variable. It is declared using the syntax 'type *pointerName;'. For example, 'int *ptr;'.

Front

Explain the difference between a pointer and a regular variable.

Back

A pointer holds a memory address, whereas a regular variable holds a value.

Front

How do you access the value stored at a pointer's address?

Back

Use the dereference operator (e.g., *ptr) to access the value at the pointer's address.

Front

What is the purpose of the 'void' pointer in C?

Back

The purpose of the 'void' pointer in C is to allow pointers to point to any data type.

Front

How can you pass a pointer to a function in C?

Back

You can pass a pointer to a function by defining the function with a pointer parameter and using the '&' operator to pass the address of a variable.

Front

What happens if you dereference a null pointer?

Back

Dereferencing a null pointer causes undefined behavior.

Front

Describe how to allocate memory dynamically using pointers in C.

Back

Use malloc() to allocate memory, check for NULL, and free() when done.

Front

What is pointer arithmetic and how is it used?

Back

Pointer arithmetic is the process of performing arithmetic operations on pointers to navigate through memory locations.

Front

How do you return a pointer from a function?

Back

Define the function with a pointer return type and return a pointer to a variable or allocated memory.

Front

What are the potential risks of using pointers in C?

Back

Potential risks of using pointers in C include null pointer dereferencing, memory leaks, out-of-bounds access, data corruption, and security vulnerabilities.