Standard C Library Functions

Standard C Library Functions

The Standard C Library, often referred to as libc, is a collection of pre-defined functions that provide a wide range of functionalities to C programs. These functions are specified in the ANSI C standard and are implemented by most C compilers. The Standard C Library functions can be broadly categorized into several groups based on their functionality:

  • 1. Input/Output Functions (stdio.h): These functions are used for input and output operations. They include functions like `printf()`, `scanf()`, `fprintf()`, `fscanf()`, `fgets()`, `fputs()`, `fopen()`, `fclose()`, etc.
  • 2. String Handling Functions (string.h): String handling functions deal with operations on strings such as copying, concatenating, comparing, searching, and tokenizing. Some common string functions include `strcpy()`, `strcat()`, `strlen()`, `strcmp()`, `strchr()`, `strstr()`, `strtok()`, etc.
  • 3. Mathematical Functions (math.h): This library provides mathematical functions for performing various mathematical operations. Functions like `sqrt()`, `sin()`, `cos()`, `tan()`, `exp()`, `log()`, `ceil()`, `floor()`, etc., are included in this library.
  • 4. Memory Allocation Functions (stdlib.h): Memory allocation functions are used for dynamic memory management. Functions like `malloc()`, `calloc()`, `realloc()`, and `free()` are used to allocate and deallocate memory dynamically.
  • 5. Character Handling Functions (ctype.h): These functions are used for character classification and conversion operations. Common functions include `isalpha()`, `isdigit()`, `isupper()`, `tolower()`, `toupper()`, etc.
  • 6. Date and Time Functions (time.h): Date and time functions are used for date and time manipulation. Functions like `time()`, `ctime()`, `gmtime()`, `localtime()`, `strftime()`, etc., are part of this library.
  • 7. File Handling Functions (stdio.h): These functions are used for file input and output operations. They include functions like `fopen()`, `fclose()`, `fread()`, `fwrite()`, `fseek()`, `ftell()`, etc.
  • 8. Error Handling Functions (errno.h): Error handling functions deal with error reporting and retrieval. The `errno` variable and functions like `perror()` are commonly used for error handling.
  • 9. Miscellaneous Functions: This category includes various other functions that do not fit into the above categories. For example, `exit()` function for terminating the program, `assert()` function for debugging, etc.

These are just some of the major categories of functions provided by the Standard C Library. Each category contains many more functions tailored to specific needs. By utilizing these standard functions, C programmers can write efficient and portable code for a wide range of applications.

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