Welcome to our website’s Basic C Programming Interview Questions with Short Answers page! If you are preparing for a job interview that involves C programming, you have come to the right place.

Our page provides a collection of frequently asked interview questions related to C programming, along with concise and straightforward answers to help you prepare for your interview.

C Programming Interview Questions with Answers

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What is C programming?
C is a procedural programming language designed to develop system software and embedded software. It is widely used in the development of operating systems, device drivers, and other applications.

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What are the basic data types in C?
The basic data types in C are char, int, float, double, and void.

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What is the difference between char and string in C?
Char is a single character data type, while a string is a collection of characters. Strings in C are represented as arrays of characters.

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What is a pointer in C?
A pointer is a variable that stores the memory address of another variable. It is used to manipulate data by directly accessing the memory location.

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What is a function in C?
A function is a block of code that performs a specific task. It can take inputs and return outputs, making it useful for creating reusable code.

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What is an array in C?
An array is a collection of similar data types stored in contiguous memory locations. It is useful for storing and manipulating large amounts of data.

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What is the difference between while and do-while loop in C?
In a while loop, the condition is tested at the beginning of the loop, while in a do-while loop, the condition is tested at the end of the loop. This means that a do-while loop will always execute at least once.

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What is the difference between a local variable and a global variable in C?
A local variable is declared inside a function and is only accessible within that function. A global variable is declared outside of any function and can be accessed by any function within the program.

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What is recursion in C?
Recursion is a technique where a function calls itself repeatedly until a certain condition is met. It is useful for solving problems that can be broken down into smaller subproblems.

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What is the difference between a structure and a union in C?
A structure is a collection of variables of different data types stored in contiguous memory locations. A union is a collection of variables that share the same memory location.

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What is the difference between ++i and i++ in C?
Both ++i and i++ increment the value of i by 1. However, ++i increments i before it is used in an expression, while i++ increments i after it is used in an expression.

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What is the ternary operator in C?
The ternary operator is a shorthand way of writing an if-else statement. It takes the form of condition ? expression1 : expression2 and returns expression1 if the condition is true and expression2 if the condition is false.

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What is a macro in C?
A macro is a preprocessor directive that defines a symbol or expression that can be used throughout the code. Macros are often used for code reuse and to simplify complex expressions.

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What is the difference between malloc and calloc in C?
Malloc is used to allocate memory dynamically, while calloc is used to allocate and initialize memory dynamically. Calloc sets all the allocated memory to zero.

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What is a file pointer in C?
A file pointer is a variable that points to a file. It is used to perform operations on files, such as reading from or writing to them.

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What is the difference between text mode and binary mode in file I/O in C?
In text mode, the file is treated as a stream of characters, while in binary mode, the file is treated as a stream of bytes. Text mode is used for reading and writing text files, while binary mode is used for reading and writing binary files.

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What is the difference between pass by value and pass by reference in C?
In pass by value, a copy of the argument is passed to the function, so any changes made to the argument within the function do not affect the original variable. In pass by reference, the address of the variable is passed to the function, so any changes made to the argument within the function affect the original variable.

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What is the use of the #define directive in C?
The #define directive is used to define constants or macros in C. Constants defined with #define cannot be changed during the execution of the program, while macros can be replaced with their defined value during compilation.

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What is the difference between a compiler and an interpreter in C?
A compiler translates the entire source code of a program into machine code before execution, while an interpreter translates and executes the code line by line. Compilers produce faster and more efficient code, while interpreters are more flexible and allow for easier debugging.

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What is a header file in C?
A header file is a file that contains declarations and definitions of functions, variables, and other constructs that can be used in a program. Header files are typically included at the beginning of a C program using the #include directive.

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Conclusion

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced C programmer, our questions cover a wide range of topics and difficulty levels to suit your needs.

Browse our page to find valuable insights and tips that can help you succeed in your next C programming interview.