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C - Functions

A function is a group of statements that together perform a task. Every C program has at
least one function, which is main(), and all the most trivial programs can define additional
functions.

You can divide up your code into separate functions. How you divide up your code among
different functions is up to you, but logically the division is such that each function performs a
specific task.

A function declaration tells the compiler about a function's name, return type, and
parameters. A function definition provides the actual body of the function.

The C standard library provides numerous built-in functions that your program can call. For
example, strcat() to concatenate two strings, memcpy() to copy one memory location to
another location, and many more functions.

A function can also be referred as a method or a sub-routine or a procedure, etc.

Defining a Function
The general form of a function definition in C programming language is as follows −

return_type function_name( parameter list ) {

body of the function
}

A function definition in C programming consists of a function header and a function body.

Here are all the parts of a function −

• Return Type − A function may return a value. The return_type is the data type of
the value the function returns. Some functions perform the desired operations without
returning a value. In this case, the return_type is the keyword void.

• Function Name − This is the actual name of the function. The function name and the
parameter list together constitute the function signature.

• Parameters − A parameter is like a placeholder. When a function is invoked, you

pass a value to the parameter. This value is referred to as actual parameter or
argument. The parameter list refers to the type, order, and number of the parameters
of a function. Parameters are optional; that is, a function may contain no parameters.

• Function Body − The function body contains a collection of statements that define
what the function does.

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Example
Given below is the source code for a function called max(). This function takes two
parameters num1 and num2 and returns the maximum value between the two −

/* function returning the max between two numbers */

int max(int num1, int num2) {

/* local variable declaration */

int result;

if (num1 > num2)

result = num1;
else
result = num2;

return result;
}

Function Declarations
A function declaration tells the compiler about a function name and how to call the function.
The actual body of the function can be defined separately.

A function declaration has the following parts −

return_type function_name( parameter list );

For the above defined function max(), the function declaration is as follows −

int max(int num1, int num2);

Parameter names are not important in function declaration only their type is required, so the
following is also a valid declaration −

int max(int, int);

Function declaration is required when you define a function in one source file and you call
that function in another file. In such case, you should declare the function at the top of the file
calling the function.

Calling a Function
While creating a C function, you give a definition of what the function has to do. To use a
function, you will have to call that function to perform the defined task.

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When a program calls a function, the program control is transferred to the called function. A
called function performs a defined task and when its return statement is executed or when its
function-ending closing brace is reached, it returns the program control back to the main
program.

To call a function, you simply need to pass the required parameters along with the function
name, and if the function returns a value, then you can store the returned value. For example
−

Live Demo
#include <stdio.h>

/* function declaration */
int max(int num1, int num2);

int main () {

/* local variable definition */

int a = 100;
int b = 200;
int ret;

/* calling a function to get max value */

ret = max(a, b);

printf( "Max value is : %d\n", ret );

return 0;
}

/* function returning the max between two numbers */

int max(int num1, int num2) {

/* local variable declaration */

int result;

if (num1 > num2)

result = num1;
else
result = num2;

return result;
}

We have kept max() along with main() and compiled the source code. While running the final
executable, it would produce the following result −

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Max value is : 200

Function Arguments
If a function is to use arguments, it must declare variables that accept the values of the
arguments. These variables are called the formal parameters of the function.

Formal parameters behave like other local variables inside the function and are created upon
entry into the function and destroyed upon exit.

While calling a function, there are two ways in which arguments can be passed to a function
−

Sr.No. Call Type & Description

1 Call by value
This method copies the actual value of an argument into the formal parameter of
the function. In this case, changes made to the parameter inside the function have
no effect on the argument.

2 Call by reference
This method copies the address of an argument into the formal parameter. Inside
the function, the address is used to access the actual argument used in the call.
This means that changes made to the parameter affect the argument.

By default, C uses call by value to pass arguments. In general, it means the code within a
function cannot alter the arguments used to call the function.

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