Data Types in C (int, float, char, double) Explained

Data Types in C (int, float, char, double) Explained

Introduction In our previous chapter, we learned that a variable is like a storage box inside your computer's memory (RAM). However, in the real world, you would not use a massive shipping container to store a single diamond ring, nor would you use a tiny shoebox to store a refrigerator. You choose the box size based on what you need to put inside it. The C compiler thinks the exact same way. Before it gives you a storage box (variable) in memory, it demands to know exactly what kind of data you plan to put inside it. Will it be a small number? A large decimal? A single alphabet letter? This is where Data Types come into play. In this chapter, we will explore the four primary data types in C, understand exactly how much memory they consume, and learn how to use the powerful sizeof() operator. What are Primitive Data Types? C is a statically typed language. This means that once you declare a variable with a specific data type, it can never hold any other type of data. If you create a bo…