Basic Data Types in C

Overview

Basic data types, also known as primitive data types, are the fundamental types provided by the C programming language. They represent single values and are essential for data manipulation. Below is a table summarizing the basic data types, their sizes, and identifiers.

Data Type	Size (in bytes)	Range (Typical)	Declaration Example
`int`	2 or 4	-32,768 to 32,767 (2 bytes) or -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647 (4 bytes)	`int age = 25;`
`float`	4	1.2E-38 to 3.4E+38	`float height = 5.9;`
`double`	8	2.3E-308 to 1.7E+308	`double pi = 3.14159;`
`char`	1	-128 to 127 or 0 to 255	`char initial = 'A';`

Note: The size of data types can vary based on the system architecture (e.g., 32-bit or 64-bit). The ranges provided are typical for most systems.

Example Program

Here is an example program that demonstrates the use of each basic data type in C:

data_types.c

#include <stdio.h>
 
int main() {
    // Declaration and initialization of basic data types
    int age = 25;                // Integer
    float height = 5.9;         // Float
    double pi = 3.14159;        // Double
    char initial = 'A';         // Character
 
    // Output the values of the variables
    printf("Age: %d\n", age);                   // Output: Age: 25
    printf("Height: %.1f\n", height);           // Output: Height: 5.9
    printf("Value of Pi: %.5f\n", pi);          // Output: Value of Pi: 3.14159
    printf("Initial: %c\n", initial);           // Output: Initial: A
 
    return 0; // Indicate successful execution
}

Explanation of the Example Program

#include <stdio.h>: This line includes the standard input-output library, which is necessary for using the printf function.
int main(): This defines the main function where the program execution begins.
Variable Declarations:
- int age = 25;: Declares an integer variable age and initializes it with the value 25.
- float height = 5.9;: Declares a float variable height and initializes it with the value 5.9.
- double pi = 3.14159;: Declares a double variable pi and initializes it with the value of Pi.
- char initial = 'A';: Declares a char variable initial and initializes it with the character ‘A’.
Output Statements: The printf function is used to print the values of the variables to the console, formatted appropriately.
return 0;: This indicates that the program has executed successfully.

Conclusion

Understanding the basic data types in C, including their sizes and ranges, is crucial for effective programming. The example program illustrates how to declare and use these data types, providing a foundation for more complex data manipulation in C.

Introduction Derived Data Type