Introduction:
C is a high-level programming language that is widely used for system programming. When it comes to coding in C, choosing the right variable name is crucial to the program’s functionality. Variables in C are used to store data and perform various operations. A variable can be any symbol, letter, or combination of letters that represent a value. However, not all symbols are allowed as variable names in C. In this blog post, we will discuss which of the following cannot be a variable name in C.
Special Characters:
In C, special characters such as ‘@’, ‘#’, ‘$’, etc., cannot be used as variable names. The reason behind this limitation is that these characters are used for specific purposes in C programming. For example, ‘@’ is used for email addresses, ‘#’ is used in preprocessor directives, and ‘$’ is used for string interpolation in many programming languages.
Using special characters as variable names can confuse the compiler and generate errors in your program. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid special characters while naming your variables in C.
Keywords:
Keywords are reserved words that are predefined in the C programming language. These words have a specific meaning and cannot be used as a variable name. Keywords are used to declare data types, control structures, and other programming constructs.
Some of the popular keywords in C include ‘int’, ‘char’, ‘if’, ‘else’, ‘while’, ‘for’, ‘break’, and ‘return’. If you try to use any of these keywords as a variable name, you will receive an error message from the compiler.
For instance, if you want to declare a variable that stores a character value, you cannot use ‘char’ as the variable name. Instead, you have to choose a different name such as ‘ch’ or ‘character’.
In conclusion, the use of special characters and keywords as variable names is not allowed in C programming. It is essential to follow the naming conventions and rules while coding in C to avoid errors and enhance the program’s readability.
