C Data Types

Syntax

type variable_name;

Example

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
  int age = 25;
  float weight = 65.5;
  char gender = 'M';
 
  printf("Age: %d\n", age);
  printf("Weight: %f\n", weight);
  printf("Gender: %c\n", gender);
  
  return 0;
}

Output

The output of the above example will be:

Age: 25
Weight: 65.500000
Gender: M

Explanation

In C, a data type is an attribute of a variable that tells the compiler how the programmer intends to use that variable. There are four main data types in C: int, float, double, and char. The syntax to declare a variable is type variable_name, where type is one of the data types listed above, and variable_name is any valid variable name.

Use

Data types are used to define the type of data that a variable can hold. This is important because different data types have different memory requirements and limitations, which can affect program performance and functionality.

• int data type is used to store integer values, such as age or quantity.
• float and double data types are used to store floating-point numbers with decimal values, such as weight or price.
• char data type is used to store a single character, such as gender or a letter.

Important Points

• C provides four main data types: int, float, double, and char.
• Each data type has different memory requirements and limitations.
• Data types are used to define the type of data that a variable can hold.
• It is important to choose the appropriate data type based on the type of data that will be stored in the variable.

Summary

Data types are a fundamental concept in C programming. They allow us to specify the type of data that will be stored in a variable, which in turn affects how the compiler allocates memory and how the program performs. Understanding the different data types available and how to declare variables with them is critical to writing correct and efficient C programs.