Keywords and Identifiers in C Language | W Technology

Keywords and Identifiers in C Programming Language

C programming language is a widely used high-level programming language that is popular among developers for its flexibility, efficiency, and performance. When programming in C, it is essential to have a good understanding of the language's keywords and identifiers. In this blog, we will explore what keywords and identifiers are in C programming language, and provide examples to help you understand their role in coding.

Keywords in C Programming Language:

Keywords are reserved words in C programming language that have a specific meaning and cannot be used as variable names or identifiers. These keywords are part of the language's syntax and have specific functions that help in building the structure of the code. In C programming, there are 32 keywords that are reserved for specific functions, including:

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

For example, the if keyword is used to specify a condition in a statement, while the for keyword is used to specify a loop in a statement. Keywords are reserved and cannot be used as variable names or identifiers.

Identifiers in C Programming Language:

Identifiers are user-defined names used to represent variables, functions, and other program elements. In C programming language, an identifier can be a combination of letters, digits, and underscores. Identifiers must begin with a letter or an underscore and cannot begin with a digit. There is no limit on the length of the identifier, but it is best practice to keep them short and meaningful.

For example, the following are valid identifiers in C programming language:

• myVariable
• myFunction
• myArray

However, the following are not valid identifiers:

• 123myVariable (cannot begin with a digit)
• myVariable$ (cannot include special characters)

Identifiers are case-sensitive, which means that myVariable and myvariable are considered two different identifiers in C programming language.

Let's look at an example that uses keywords and identifiers in C programming language:

In this example, we have used the int keyword to declare three variables: a, b, and sum. We have also used the printf function to display the sum of a and b using the identifiers we have defined.

In conclusion, understanding keywords and identifiers in C programming language is essential for building efficient and error-free code. Keywords are reserved words with specific functions, while identifiers are user-defined names used to represent variables, functions, and other program elements. When writing code in C programming language, it is essential to choose meaningful and appropriate identifiers to ensure that the code is easy to read and understand.