Here are some differences in c programming that you may find helpful. C programming differences lists are if-else v/s Switch Case, Array v/s Structure, Compiler v/s Interpreter, Structure v/s Union, malloc() v/s calloc(), break v/s exit(), and Array v/s Pointer. To learn more about C programming difference lists, read the previous article C Programming Difference Lists. The following are a few of the most basic lists of c programming differences:
Using multiple statements in an if-else statement allows us to make multiple choices.
For multiple choices, a switch statement uses a single expression.
We use if-else when a program is small.
We use the switch statement when a program is large.
It gives the program a more complex structure if the program is large.
The use of switch cases provides a more structured approach to large programs.
It is hard to edit if-else statements (ladder if-else).
In most cases, it is easy to modify the switch case.
If-else executes based on the condition inside.
The switch statement executes based on the user’s decision.
We should test logical expressions and equality at the same time.
The only thing to test is equality.
When the if condition is false, the else condition executes the code block.
The default statement is executed if there is no match between the switch condition and any of the cases.
There is no need to use a break statement in an if-else statement.
It is essential to use a break statement in a switch statement.
It checks multiple conditions at once.
In a switch, there is onlyone condition to check at a time.
Array v/s Structure
Array
Structure
Data in an array is homogeneous.
A structure is a collection of heterogeneous data.
There is an index for accessing array data.
In order to access structure elements, we use the operator (.).
It allocates static memory to arrays.
There is a dynamic allocation of memory in the structure.
The access time to array elements is less than the access time to structures.
Structure elements take more time than an array.
The array size is fixed and based on the number of elements multiplied by their sizes.
There is no fixed size for a structure since each element can have a unique type and size.
It is easy and fast to traverse and search arrays.
The traversal and searching of structures are slow and complex.
Memory locations for array elements are continuous.
There is no requirement to keep structure elements in continuous memory.
An array supports the same type of variable as an input.
The structure accepts multiple types of variables as inputs.
In order to declare an array, there is no keyword.
The keyword “struct” defines a structure.
It is a type of derived data.
A structure is a user-defined type of data.
In an array, memory occupied by an index is a multiple of that index.
The total amount of memory occupied by a structure is the sum of all its data types.
Cannot take part in the complex data structure.
Can take part in the complex data structure.
The only thing an array has is a declaration.
There is a declaration and a definition for a structure.
Compiler v/s Interpreter
Compiler
Interpreter
A compiler translates the complete source code at once.
Using an interpreter, we can translate the source code line by line.
During the process of translating source code into object code, it is not possible to view the compilation results.
As the interpreter translates lines one by one, the results are visible during translation.
It is faster and more efficient to use a compiler for converting source code to machine level code.
The conversion of source code to low level machine code is slower.
Compilers take less time to execute.
It takes a long time to run as compared to a complier.
There is a static allocation of memory in a compiler.
The memory allocation of an interpreter is dynamic.
The compilation process creates intermediate level code.
Interpreter does not contain intermediate level code.
The compiler code is difficult to debug.
It is easy to debug the interpreter code.
There are many programming languages that support compilation, such as C, C++, Java, and C#.
Some programming languages support interpreters, such as PHP, Ruby, .Net, Python, Perl, BASIC, etc.
Show all compilation errors at once.
Display the errors on each line one by one.
The compiler generates executable code, it takes some time.
Interpreter can execute a program immediately.
There is greater use of CPU.
There is less CPU utilization than with the compiler.
Separate files store object code.
This does not save the object code.
Structure v/s Union
Structure
Union
Stored multiple values at a time.
Store a single value at a time.
Every member of the structure has its own storage space.
Allocate one common memory block.
The size is the sum of all the members.
The size of the data depends on the size of the largest data members.
There is no sharing of memory blocks among its members.
Each member of the memory block shares it.
To define a structure, use the keyword struct.
To define a union, we use the keyword union.
When one data member’s value changes, it does not offset other data members’ value.
When one data member changes, the value ofthe other member changes as well.
At the same time, we can initialize multiple members.
We can initialize only the first member at once.
It supports a flexible array.
It does not support a flexible array.
At any time, we can access and retrieve any data member.
Using it, we can access and retrieve one data member at a time.
The address of each member will be in ascending order. It means that each member’s memory will start at a different offset.
The address is the same for all the members of a union. The offset value is the same for all members.
malloc() v/s calloc()
malloc()
calloc()
The name malloc() stands for memory allocation.
The calloc() stands for contiguous allocation.
malloc() takes one argument that is, the number of bytes.
There are two arguments to calloc(): the number of blocks and the size of each block.
The malloc() function is faster.
calloc() is slower.
malloc() has high time efficiency.
The time efficiency of calloc() is low.
It allocates a garbage block of memory.
calloc() allocates the memory block to 0.
It is not secure as compared to calloc().
It is secure as compared to malloc().
The malloc() function returns only the starting address and does not zero it.
Before allocating the address calloc() function returns the starting address and makes it zero.
It allocates only a single block of requested memory.
It allocates multiple blocks of requested memory.
break v/s exit()
break
exit()
In C, the break is a keyword.
The exit() function is a standard library function.
C comes pre-defined with the break statement in the stdio.h header file, so it doesn’t require any header files.
It requires header files stdlib.honly for C, not for C++.
It terminates the loop.
When called, it terminates the execution of the program.
A loop and switch case statement are the most common use of it.
Anywhere in the program can use it.
It is not possible to use break as a variable name in C because it is a reversed word.
Variable names often use it because it is not a reverse word.
It is possible to execute more than onebreak statement in a C program.
C programs will execute only one exit() function.
Pointer v/s Array
Pointer
Array
A pointer is dynamic by nature.
They have a static nature.
The memoryallocation can be resized or freed later.
There can be no dynamicresizing or freeing of memory once it has been allocated.
A pointer is a variable that stores the address of a variable.
An array in C stores elements of the same data type.
The allocation of pointers occurs at runtime.
Allocation of arrays occurs at compile time.
There is a pointer variable that allocates random memory.
A contiguous amount of memory is assigned to each element in the array.
It does not consist of a group of elements. There is only one variable.
It is a group of elements.
There is no way to initialize pointers in a definition.
Initializing arrays at definition is possible.
Size of the operator only returns the amount of memory used by the pointer variable itself.
The size of the operator returns the amount of memory used by all members in the array.
& (operator) pointer returns the address of the pointer.
The &(operator) is an alias for & array [0] and returns the address of the first element in the array.
Conclusion
You should now have a clear understanding of if-else, switch, array, malloc(), calloc(), union, structure, and pointer once you read the C programming difference lists article.