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Storage Class in C

The document discusses the different storage classes in C programming - automatic, external, static, and register. It provides details on how each storage class works, including scope, visibility, lifetime, initialization, and more. Examples are also given.

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masacan191
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11 views

Storage Class in C

The document discusses the different storage classes in C programming - automatic, external, static, and register. It provides details on how each storage class works, including scope, visibility, lifetime, initialization, and more. Examples are also given.

Uploaded by

masacan191
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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C Programming

Topperworld.in

Storage Classes in C
C Storage Classes are used to describe the features of a variable/function.
These features basically include the scope, visibility, and lifetime which help
us to trace the existence of a particular variable during the runtime of a
program.

Types of Storage Classes


C language uses 4 storage classes,
 Automatic
 External
 Static
 Register

Automatic
 Automatic variables are allocated memory automatically at runtime.
 The visibility of the automatic variables is limited to the block in which they
are defined.
 The scope of the automatic variables is limited to the block in which they are
defined.
 The automatic variables are initialized to garbage by default.
 The memory assigned to automatic variables gets freed upon exiting from
the block.
 The keyword used for defining automatic variables is auto.
 Every local variable is automatic in C by default.

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C Programming

External
 The external storage class is used to tell the compiler that the variable
defined as extern is declared with an external linkage elsewhere in the
program.
 The variables declared as extern are not allocated any memory. It is only
declaration and intended to specify that the variable is declared elsewhere
in the program.
 The default initial value of external integral type is 0 otherwise null.
 We can only initialize the extern variable globally, i.e., we can not initialize
the external variable within any block or method.
 An external variable can be declared many times but can be initialized at only
once.
 If a variable is declared as external then the compiler searches for that
variable to be initialized somewhere in the program which may be extern or
static. If it is not, then the compiler will show an error.

Static
 The variables defined as static specifier can hold their value between the
multiple function calls.
 Static local variables are visible only to the function or the block in which
they are defined.
 A same static variable can be declared many times but can be assigned at
only one time.
 Default initial value of the static integral variable is 0 otherwise null.
 The visibility of the static global variable is limited to the file in which it has
declared.
 The keyword used to define static variable is static.

©Topperworld
C Programming

Register
 The variables defined as the register is allocated the memory into the CPU
registers depending upon the size of the memory remaining in the CPU.
 We can not dereference the register variables, i.e., we can not use
&operator for the register variable.
 The access time of the register variables is faster than the automatic
variables.
 The initial default value of the register local variables is 0.
 The register keyword is used for the variable which should be stored in the
CPU register. However, it is compiler?s choice whether or not; the variables
can be stored in the register.
 We can store pointers into the register, i.e., a register can store the address
of a variable.
 Static variables can not be stored into the register since we can not use more
than one storage specifier for the same variable.

Example

#include <stdio.h>

// Global variable with external linkage


int globalVar = 10;

int main() {
// Automatic storage class (default for local variables)
auto int localVarAuto = 5;

// Static storage class (preserves value between function calls)


static int staticVar = 15;

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C Programming

printf("Global variable: %d\n", globalVar);


printf("Auto local variable: %d\n", localVarAuto);
printf("Static variable: %d\n", staticVar);
return 0;
}

OUTPUT:
Global variable: 10
Auto local variable: 5
Static variable: 15

©Topperworld

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