C Infinite Loop

An infinite loop is a loop that runs infinitely and never terminates. In C programming, when a loop is executed without a condition or if the condition is always true, it results in an infinite loop. An example of an infinite loop is shown below:

while (1) {
  // statements
}

This loop will run forever since the condition 1 is always true.

Example

The following code shows an example of an infinite loop. It prints numbers from 1 to 10 repeatedly:

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
   int i = 1;

   while (1) {
       printf("%d\n", i);
       if (i == 10) {
           // reset the counter
           i = 1;
       } else {
           i++;
       }
   }

   return 0;
}

Output

The output of the above program will print the numbers 1 through 10 repeatedly without ever stopping.

Syntax

The syntax of an infinite loop is as follows:

while (1) {
  // statements
}

Here, the condition is always 1 or any non-zero value, which will always be true.

Use

Infinite loops are generally considered bad programming practice because they can cause programs to crash, hang, or consume too much system resources. However, there are some scenarios where infinite loops are useful, such as in embedded systems, where a program continuously runs and waits for interrupts.

Important Points

• An infinite loop is a loop that runs indefinitely and never terminates.
• In C programming, an infinite loop is created when a condition is always true.
• Infinite loops can cause programs to crash, hang, or consume too much system resources.
• Sometimes infinite loops can be useful in embedded systems.

Summary

In C programming, an infinite loop is a loop that runs indefinitely and never terminates. It can be created by having a loop with a condition that is always true, such as while (1). While infinite loops can be useful in certain scenarios, they can also cause programs to crash and consume too many resources. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid using infinite loops in general programming and use them only when absolutely necessary.