C Program Structure

A C program follows a specific structure that consists of various components. Understanding this structure is essential for writing efficient and well-organized programs.

Basic Structure of a C Program

A typical C program consists of the following sections:

1. Preprocessor Directives

These include header files and macros required for the program. Example:

#include <stdio.h>  // Standard input-output library

2. Main Function

Every C program must have a main() function, as execution starts from here.

3. Variable Declarations

Variables used in the program are declared before they are used.

4. Statements and Expressions

This section contains the actual logic and processing instructions of the program.

5. Return Statement

The return 0; statement signifies successful execution of the program.

Example of a Simple C Program

Below is a basic C program that demonstrates the structure of a C program.

#include <stdio.h>

// Main function
int main() {
    // Variable declaration
    int number = 10;

    // Printing output
    printf("The number is: %d\n", number);

    // Returning 0 to indicate successful execution
    return 0;
}

Explanation

• #include <stdio.h>: Includes the standard input-output library.
• int main(): The entry point of the program.
• int number = 10;: Declares and initializes a variable.
• printf("The number is: %d", number);: Displays output.
• return 0;: Indicates that the program executed successfully.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Thank you for reading!