In C programming, functions are blocks of code that perform specific tasks and are the basic building blocks of a C program
. They provide functionalities such as reusability, modularity, and simplicity, making the code easier to understand, manage, and maintain
. There are two types of functions in C programming:
- Standard library functions : These are built-in functions in C programming, defined in header files such as
stdio.h
forprintf()
andmath.h
forsqrt()
- User-defined functions : These are functions created by the user to perform specific tasks, such as creating a circle and coloring it
The general syntax of a function in C programming is as follows
:
c
return_type function_name(parameter list) {
body of the function
}
Key components of a function include:
- Return Type : The data type of the value the function returns. Some functions perform operations without returning a value, in which case the return type is
void
- Function Name : This is the actual name of the function
- Parameter List : A list of parameters that can be passed into the function, allowing the function to be called with different inputs
- Body of the Function : This is the block of code that contains the statements to be executed when the function is called
To call a function, you need to write the function's name followed by two
parentheses ()
and a semicolon ;
. For example, myFunction()
is used to print a text when called within the
main()
function.