Function in C

We refer to a function as a group of various statements that perform a task together. Any C program that we use has one function at least, that is main(). Then the programs can define multiple additional functions in a code.

In this article, we will take a closer look at Function in C according to the GATE Syllabus for CSE (Computer Science Engineering). Read ahead to know more.

Table of Contents

• Use Of The Function In C
• Advantages Of Using Functions In C Programming
• Defining A Function In C
  • Function Syntax
  • Example
• Types Of Functions
• Return Value
• Function Calling – Different Aspects
• Declaration Of Function
• Calling Of A Function
• Function Arguments
• Library Functions In C
• Practice Problems On Function In C
• FAQs

Use of the Function in C

One can easily divide a C program code into several separate functions. How we divide our available code according to different available functions is totally up to us. But the division should occur logically in such a way that every function is capable of performing a specific task.

The declaration of function informs the compiler about the name of the function, parameters, and return type. In other words, the function definition helps in providing the actual body of any function that we want in a program/ code.

We can also refer to functions as a sub-routine, a method, or a procedure in a program. The standard library in C language provides its users with various built-in functions that the concerned programs can call. For example, we can use the strcat() function for concentrating two strings, copy the location of one memory to another location of memory using the memcpy() function, and many more.

Advantages of Using Functions in C Programming

The functions in the C programming language offer the following advantages to us:

• When we make use of the functions, then we can easily avoid the rewriting of the same code/ logic time and again multiple times in any program.
• The calling of C functions may appear as many numbers of times as we want in any program. And we can do so from any place in the program that is given to us.
• We can perform the tracking of a large C program pretty easily if we divide it into various functions.
• One of the primary achievements of the C functions is reusability.
• However, remember that the function calling always acts as an overhead in the case of a C program.

Defining a Function in C

The function definition, in general, holds this form in the C programming language:

return_type name_of_function( parameter list ) {

function body

}

The function definition in the C programming language contains a function body and a function header. Let us take a look at all the parts that a function consists of:

• Function Name − It denotes the actual name of any function that we are using in the given code. The name and parameter of a function constitute a function signature in the code together.
• Function Body − It consists of a collection of all the statements. These provide a definition of what the function will do in the code.
• Parameters − It is just like a placeholder. Whenever we invoke a function, we pass a value to the available parameter. We refer to this value as an argument or an actual parameter. We refer to the parameter list as the number, order, and type of the function in the code. The parameters may be optional. It means that any function in a code may consist of no parameters at all.
• Return Type − We may get a value in return for a function. The term return type refers to the data type of the returns that we get from the functions (function returns). Some of the functions are also capable of performing any desired operation without getting a value in return for it. In any such case, the keyword used for the return_type will be void.

Function Syntax

Here is the syntax that we use to create a function in the C programming language:

return_type name_of_function(data_type parameter…){

// executable code in c

}

Example

Here, we have given a source code below for the function max(). The max() function takes two of the parameters- namely val1 and val2. It then returns the maximum value that is present between both of them. Let us take a look:

Types of Functions

The C programming language has functions that are of the following types:

• User-defined Functions – These are the types of functions that we can create using the C programmer so that we can make use of it multiple times. This function reduces the complexity of any big program- and thus, optimizes the given code.
• Library Functions – These are the functions whose declaration occurs in the header files of C, such as floor(), ceil(), outs(), gets(), printf(), scanf(), etc.

Return Value

Any function in the C programming may not return its value from any function. In case we don’t need to return the value that is available in any function, we can make use of the void in the form of a return type. Let us look at an example of the C function that does not perform the return of a value from the available function.

Let us look at an example of a C function that has no return value:

void chocolate(){

printf(“chocolate c”);

}

In case we want to return a value from an available function, we must make use of any of the data types, such as char, long, int, etc. Thus, the return type depends totally on the value that needs to return from the available function. We will look at an example of a C function that will return an int value from the given function.

Example of a C function with int return value,

int get(){

return 20;

}

In the example mentioned above, we are trying to return the value 20, and the data type, in this case, is int. If we are willing to return to the value of the floating-point (example, 64.5, 7,9, 27.61, etc.), then we must make use of the float in the form of the method’s return type.

float get(){

return 83.7;

}

Here, we have to call a function so that we get the function’s value.

Function Calling – Different Aspects

The functions available in a code may accept an argument or may not accept it at all. Thus, it may return any of the values or may not do so. On the basis of these facts, the function calls have the following four aspects:

• A function that has no arguments and has no return value.
• A function that has no arguments but has a return value.
• A function that has arguments but has no return value.
• A function that has arguments and also has a return value.

Example of a function that has no arguments and has no return value,

The output generated from this program would be:

Bye Kiddo

Example of a function that has no arguments but has a return value,

The output generated from this program would be:

By calculating the area of the square given

The length of the side of the square in meters will be: 10

The area of the given square will be: 100.000000

Example of a function that has arguments but has no return value,

The output generated from this program would be:

Calculation of the sum of two values:

Entering of two values 58

62

The sum of the two values is 120

Example of a function that has arguments and also has a return value,

The output generated from this program would be:

The calculation of the sum of two values:

The entering of two values: 49

51

The sum is: 100

Declaration of Function

The function definition basically tells a compiler about the name of the function and how one can call this function. Then we can define the actual body of this function separately.

There are these following parts that exist in a function declaration:

return_type name_of_function( parameter list );

For the defined function above that is max(), the function declaration will occur in the following way:

int max(int val1, int val2);

The parameter names are not that important in the case of function declaration- we only require their type. Thus, the declaration mentioned below is also going to be valid:

int max(int, int);

We only require the declaration of the function when we define that function in a source file while we still call that function in a separate file. In any such case, we have to declare that function at the very top of the file that calls that function.

Calling of a Function

When we create a function in C programming, we basically provide that function with a definition of what it has to do. But to use this function, we need to call this function for performing its defined task.

When a function gets called by a program, the called function will get the program control transferred to it. The called function will be performing a defined task. Once we execute the return statement or when it reaches the closing brace of the function-ending, it is bound to return the program control to the main program.

For calling a function, we simply have to pass the parameters required for it, along with the name of the function. Here, if the function happens to return a value, then we can easily keep the returned value stored with us.

For example −

Output

In this case, we have kept the function max() with the function main(). After that, we have performed the compilation of the source code. Running of the final executable would be producing the result that follows:

The max value is: 500

Function Arguments

When a function needs to use the arguments, it has to declare those variables that happen to accept the arguments’ values. Such variables are known as the given function’s formal parameters.

The formal parameters behave just like any other local variables inside our given function. These parameters get created when they enter into a function. After that, it gets destroyed when it exits.

During the calling of a function, there will be two ways in which we can perform the passing of these arguments to a given function:

The C programming, by default, is the Call by Value for passing the arguments. Generally, it means that we cannot make use of the code that exists within a function for altering the arguments that help in calling the function.

Library Functions In C

The library functions in the C programming language are the inbuilt functions that are grouped together and then placed in a common place known as the library. We make use of the library functions to perform a specific type of operation. For example, the library function printf helps is printing on the console. The designers of a compiler create the library functions. The defining of all the standard library functions in C occurs inside multiple header files that are saved using the .h extension.

A user needs to include such header files in their program for utilizing the library functions that exist in those header files. For instance, if we want to make use of scanf/ printf library functions, then we have to include the stdio.h header file in our program. This header file consists of all library functions that relate to standard output/ input.

Here is a list of some of the header files that is mostly utilized in the C programming:

Practice Problems on Function in C

1. The declaration of which of these functions occurs in the header files of C?

A. Library functions

B. User-defined functions

C. Both

D. None

Answer – A. Library functions

2. Which of these is a part of a function?

1. Function Name

2. Function Body

3. Variable Space

4. Parameters

5. Return Type

A. 1, 2, 3, 4

B. 2, 4, 5

C. 1, 2, 4, 5

D. 2, 3, 5

E. None of the above

Answer – C. 1, 2, 4, 5

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