Variables in C Language:

Variables

Variables are used to store data that can be manipulated by a program. In C, variables must be declared before they can be used. This involves specifying the type of data that will be stored in the variable.

Declaration of Variables

A variable declaration tells the compiler the name and type of the variable. The syntax for declaring a variable is:

type variable_name;

For example:

int number; float pi; char letter;

Initialization of Variables

Initialization of a variable means assigning it a value at the time of declaration. Variables can be initialized in two ways:

Static Initialization

Static initialization means assigning a value to the variable when it is declared. For example:

int number = 10; float pi = 3.14; char letter = 'A';

Dynamic Initialization

Dynamic initialization means assigning a value to the variable during runtime. For example:

#include <stdio.h> int main() { int number; printf("Enter a number: "); scanf("%d", &number); printf("You entered: %d\n", number); return 0; }

This code lets the user input a number which is printed on the console immediately after. Now what printf() and scanf() functions are doing, we'll discuss in Inputs and Outputs.

NOTE: Based on the lifespan and longevity of a variable in the program, there are four different types of variables called: Local, Global, Static and External. We'll discuss them better in Storage Classes.