C Programming Interview Questions
By,
Aavanto Pvt. Ltd.

Start your Abroad Journey!

Call: +91- 8639005305

Know More

arrow
sitting place

1. What is C programming?

C programming is a high-level programming language that allows developers to write efficient and portable code for various applications. It provides a structured approach to problem-solving and is widely used for developing operating systems, embedded systems, and software applications.

2. What are the basic data types in C?

C supports several basic data types, including integers (int), floating-point numbers (float and double), characters (char), and booleans (bool). These data types are used to store different kinds of values and perform various operations on them.

3. What is the difference between "printf" and "scanf" functions?

The "printf" function is used for formatted output, allowing you to display text and variables on the screen. On the other hand, the "scanf" function is used for formatted input, enabling you to accept user input and store it in variables.

4. What is a variable in C?

A variable is a named storage location in memory used to store values that can change during program execution. Variables have a specific data type that determines the kind of values they can hold. They are essential for storing and manipulating data in C programs.

5. Explain the concept of an array in C.

An array in C is a collection of elements of the same data type, stored in contiguous memory locations. It allows you to store and access multiple values using a single variable name. Array indices start from 0, and you can access individual elements by specifying their index.

6. What is a function in C?

A function is a self-contained block of code that performs a specific task. It can take input arguments, perform operations, and optionally return a value. Functions help in modularizing the code and promoting code reusability, making programs easier to understand and maintain.

7. What is the significance of the "main" function in C?

The "main" function is the entry point of a C program. It is the first function to be executed when the program starts running. All other functions may be called from the "main" function, and the program terminates when the "main" function finishes executing.

8. What is the purpose of the "if" statement in C?

The "if" statement is used for conditional execution in C. It allows you to execute a block of code if a specified condition is true. If the condition is false, the code within the "if" block is skipped, and program execution continues with the next statement.

9. Explain the concept of loops in C.

Loops in C are used to repeatedly execute a block of code as long as a certain condition is true. The two most commonly used loops are the "for" loop and the "while" loop. The "for" loop is typically used when you know the number of iterations in advance, while the "while" loop is used when the number of iterations is not known beforehand.

10. What is the difference between "break" and "continue" statements?

The "break" statement is used to terminate the execution of a loop or switch statement prematurely. It allows you to exit the loop or switch statement and continue executing the code after it. On the other hand, the "continue" statement is used to skip the current iteration of a loop and proceed to the next iteration.

11. What is the purpose of the "switch" statement in C?

The "switch" statement is used to select one of many code blocks to be executed based on the value of a variable or an expression. It provides a concise way to handle multiple possible outcomes, making the code more readable and maintainable.

12. Explain the concept of pointers in C.

Pointers are variables that store memory addresses as their values. They allow direct access and manipulation of memory locations, enabling efficient memory management and data manipulation. Pointers are particularly useful for dynamic memory allocation and passing parameters by reference.

13. What is the difference between pass-by-value and pass-by-reference in function arguments?

In pass-by-value, the value of the arguments is copied into the function's parameters. Any modifications made to the parameters within the function do not affect the original values of the arguments. In pass-by-reference, the memory address of the arguments is passed to the function, allowing modifications to directly affect the original values.

14. What are structures in C?

Structures in C are user-defined data types that allow you to group together related variables of different types. They provide a convenient way to represent complex data structures, such as records or objects, in a single entity. Structures can be accessed using the dot (.) operator.

15. What is the purpose of the "typedef" keyword in C?

The "typedef" keyword is used to create an alias or a new name for existing data types. It allows you to define custom names for complex data types, making the code more readable and maintainable.

16. Explain the concept of dynamic memory allocation in C.

Dynamic memory allocation in C allows you to allocate memory at runtime for storing data. It involves using functions like "malloc" or "calloc" to allocate memory and "free" to deallocate memory when it is no longer needed. Dynamic memory allocation is useful when you don't know the memory requirements beforehand or need to allocate memory for data structures of variable sizes.

17. What are header files in C?

Header files in C contain function prototypes, type definitions, and macros that are used in multiple source files. They provide a way to share declarations across multiple files and ensure consistency in the code. Standard library functions and user-defined functions can be declared in header files.

18. What is recursion in C?

Recursion is a programming technique where a function calls itself to solve a problem by breaking it down into smaller, similar subproblems. It involves a base case that terminates the recursion and one or more recursive calls that solve smaller instances of the problem. Recursion can be an elegant and powerful way to solve certain types of problems.

19. What is the purpose of the "const" keyword in C?

The "const" keyword is used to declare constants in C. It specifies that the value of a variable cannot be changed once it is assigned. Constants are useful for defining values that should remain constant throughout the program execution and help prevent unintended modifications.

20. What are file operations in C?

File operations in C involve reading data from files or writing data to files. The "stdio.h" header file provides functions like "fopen," "fclose," "fread," and "fwrite" for file handling. These functions allow you to perform various operations, such as opening, closing, reading, and writing files.

21. What is the purpose of the "sizeof" operator in C?

The "sizeof" operator is used to determine the size in bytes of a data type or a variable. It is particularly useful when allocating memory dynamically or performing operations that depend on the size of data structures. The result of the "sizeof" operator is of the "size_t" type.

22. Explain the concept of bit manipulation in C.

Bit manipulation involves manipulating individual bits within a data item, typically using bitwise operators such as AND (&), OR (|), XOR (^), left shift (<<), and right shift (>>). It is commonly used in low-level programming, embedded systems, and optimizing certain algorithms.

23. What is the purpose of the "enum" keyword in C?

The "enum" keyword is used to define an enumeration type in C. It allows you to define a set of named constants, called enumerators, that represent a discrete set of values. Enums provide a way to make the code more readable and self-explanatory by associating meaningful names with values.

24. What is the difference between local variables and global variables in C?

Local variables are declared within a function or a block and have local scope, meaning they are accessible only within that function or block. Global variables, on the other hand, are declared outside any function and have global scope, making them accessible from any part of the program. Local variables are typically used for temporary storage, while global variables are useful for sharing data between multiple functions.

25. What is the purpose of the "static" keyword in C?

The "static" keyword has different meanings depending on its context. When used with a global variable, it limits the visibility of that variable to the file where it is defined. When used with a local variable, it preserves the variable's value across multiple function calls, making it retain its value between function invocations.

26. Explain the concept of preprocessor directives in C.

Preprocessor directives are special instructions processed by the preprocessor before the compilation of the code. They are typically denoted by the '#' symbol. Preprocessor directives are used to include header files, define constants and macros, perform conditional compilation, and enable or disable certain features of the code.

27. What is the purpose of the "NULL" pointer in C?

The "NULL" pointer is a special pointer value that represents the absence of a valid memory address. It is often used to initialize pointers or as a sentinel value to indicate the end of a linked list or other data structures. Comparing a pointer to NULL is a common practice for checking if a pointer points to a valid memory location.

28. Explain the concept of typecasting in C.

Typecasting, also known as type conversion, is the process of converting a value from one data type to another. It can be done implicitly by the compiler or explicitly by the programmer using typecast operators. Typecasting is useful when you need to perform operations on different data types or assign values of one data type to another.

29. What is the purpose of the "sizeof" operator in C?

The "sizeof" operator is used to determine the size in bytes of a data type or a variable. It is particularly useful when allocating memory dynamically or performing operations that depend on the size of data structures. The result of the "sizeof" operator is of the "size_t" type.

30. Explain the concept of the "volatile" keyword in C.

The "volatile" keyword is used to indicate that a variable can be modified by external factors outside the program's control. It informs the compiler not to perform certain optimizations on the variable, ensuring that its value is always read from memory and not from a cached value. This is useful when working with memory-mapped hardware registers or variables accessed by multiple threads.

31. What are function pointers in C?

Function pointers are variables that store the address of functions instead of data values. They allow you to dynamically select and call a function at runtime, providing flexibility and extensibility to your programs. Function pointers are often used in callback mechanisms, event handling, and implementing data structures like function tables.

32. What is the purpose of the "break" statement in C?

The "break" statement is used to terminate the execution of a loop or switch statement prematurely. It allows you to exit the loop or switch statement and continue executing the code after it. This is particularly useful for breaking out of loops when a certain condition is met or when an error occurs.

33. What is the difference between stack and heap memory in C?

Stack memory is used for local variables and function call information and is automatically managed by the compiler. It has a fixed size and follows a Last-In-First-Out (LIFO) structure. Heap memory, on the other hand, is used for dynamically allocated memory and is managed by the programmer. It allows for flexible memory allocation but requires manual deallocation to avoid memory leaks.

34. Explain the concept of recursion in C.

Recursion is a programming technique where a function calls itself to solve a problem by breaking it down into smaller, similar subproblems. It involves a base case that terminates the recursion and one or more recursive calls that solve smaller instances of the problem. Recursion can be an elegant and powerful way to solve certain types of problems, but it requires careful handling to avoid infinite loops.

35. What are the bitwise operators in C?

Bitwise operators in C allow you to perform operations at the bit level. The bitwise AND (&), OR (|), XOR (^), left shift (<<), and right shift (>>) operators operate on individual bits of integers. They are useful for manipulating flags, setting or clearing specific bits, and performing low-level bit-level operations.

36. What is the purpose of the "do-while" loop in C?

The "do-while" loop in C is a control flow statement that allows a block of code to be executed repeatedly until a specified condition is false. Unlike the "while" loop, the "do-while" loop guarantees that the code block is executed at least once, as the condition is checked after the code block is executed.

37. What is the difference between "malloc" and "calloc" functions?

The "malloc" function is used to allocate a block of memory of a specified size in bytes. It returns a void pointer to the allocated memory. On the other hand, the "calloc" function is used to allocate a block of memory and initialize it with zero. It takes two arguments: the number of elements to allocate and the size of each element.

38. What are the storage classes in C?

C provides several storage classes that determine the lifetime, scope, and visibility of variables. The main storage classes are "auto," "static," "extern," and "register." The "auto" class is the default and is used for local variables. The "static" class is used for variables that retain their value between function invocations. The "extern" class is used to access variables defined in other files. The "register" class is used to suggest that a variable be stored in a CPU register for faster access.

39. What is the purpose of the "strlen" function in C?

The "strlen" function is used to determine the length of a null-terminated string in C. It returns the number of characters in the string excluding the null character ('\0'). The "strlen" function is commonly used to iterate over strings and perform string-related operations.

40. Explain the concept of command-line arguments in C.

Command-line arguments are the parameters passed to a program when it is executed from the command line or terminal. They allow users to provide inputs or options to the program at runtime. In C, command-line arguments are accessed through the "argc" (argument count) and "argv" (argument vector) parameters of the "main" function.

41. What is the purpose of the "feof" function in C?

The "feof" function is used to check whether the end-of-file (EOF) indicator has been set for a file. It returns a non-zero value if the indicator is set, indicating that the end of the file has been reached. The "feof" function is typically used in conjunction with file reading operations to detect the end of a file.

42. What is the purpose of the "strcpy" function in C?

The "strcpy" function is used to copy a string from one character array to another. It takes two arguments: the destination array and the source array. The "strcpy" function copies the characters from the source array to the destination array until it reaches the null character ('\0').

43. Explain the concept of command-line arguments in C.

Command-line arguments are the parameters passed to a program when it is executed from the command line or terminal. They allow users to provide inputs or options to the program at runtime. In C, command-line arguments are accessed through the "argc" (argument count) and "argv" (argument vector) parameters of the "main" function.

44. What is the purpose of the "fgets" function in C?

The "fgets" function is used to read a line of text from a file or standard input. It takes three arguments: the buffer to store the line of text, the maximum number of characters to read, and the file pointer. The "fgets" function reads characters until it encounters a newline character ('\n') or reaches the specified limit.

45. What is the purpose of the "isdigit" function in C?

The "isdigit" function is used to check whether a given character is a decimal digit (0-9). It returns a non-zero value if the character is a digit and zero otherwise. The "isdigit" function is commonly used for input validation, processing numeric data, and character manipulation.

46. Explain the concept of a structure in C.

A structure in C is a user-defined data type that allows you to group together variables of different types under a single name. It provides a way to represent a collection of related data as a single entity. Structure members can be accessed using the dot (.) operator.

47. What is the purpose of the "strcmp" function in C?

The "strcmp" function is used to compare two strings in C. It takes two arguments: the two strings to compare. The "strcmp" function returns a value less than zero if the first string is lexicographically smaller, zero if the strings are equal, or a value greater than zero if the first string is lexicographically larger.

48. What is the purpose of the "rand" function in C?

The "rand" function is used to generate pseudo-random numbers in C. It returns a random integer between 0 and the maximum value defined by the "RAND_MAX" constant. The "rand" function should be seeded with the "srand" function before use to ensure different sequences of random numbers.

49. Explain the concept of the "const" keyword in C.

The "const" keyword is used to declare constants in C. It specifies that the value of a variable cannot be changed once it is assigned. Constants are useful for defining values that should remain constant throughout the program execution and help prevent unintended modifications.

50. What is the purpose of the "continue" statement in C?

The "continue" statement is used in loop control to skip the remaining code in a loop iteration and proceed to the next iteration. It is often used when a certain condition is met, and you want to skip the execution of the remaining code in the loop for that particular iteration.