Topic:-Functions: Introduction, types of functions, functions with array, passing parameters

to functions, call by value, call by reference, recursive functions.

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.

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.

A function is a block of code that performs a particular task.

Function declaration consists of 4 parts.

 returntype
 function name
 parameter list
 terminating semicolon
eturntype
When a function is declared to perform some sort of calculation or any operation and is
expected to provide with some result at the end, in such cases, a return statement is added at
the end of function body. Return type specifies the type of value(int, float, char, double) that
function is expected to return to the program which called the function.
Note: In case your function doesn't return any value, the return type would be void.

functionName
Function name is an identifier and it specifies the name of the function. The function name is
any valid C identifier and therefore must follow the same naming rules like other variables in
C language.

parameter list
The parameter list declares the type and number of arguments that the function expects when
it is called. Also, the parameters in the parameter list receives the argument values when the
function is called. They are often referred as formal parameters.

Time for an Example

Let's write a simple program with a main() function, and a user defined function to multiply
two numbers, which will be called from the main() function.

#include<stdio.h>

int multiply(int a, int b); // function declaration

int main()

int i, j, result;

printf("Please enter 2 numbers you want to multiply...");

scanf("%d%d", &i, &j);

result = multiply(i, j); // function call

printf("The result of muliplication is: %d", result);

 return 0;

int multiply(int a, int b)

return (a*b); // function defintion, this can be done in one line

 C functions can be classified into two categories,

1. Library functions
2. User-defined functions

Library functions are those functions which are already defined in C library, example
printf(), scanf(), strcat() etc. You just need to include appropriate header files to use these
functions. These are already declared and defined in C libraries.
A User-defined functions on the other hand, are those functions which are defined by the
user at the time of writing program. These functions are made for code reusability and for
saving time and space.
Function definition Syntax
Just like in the example above, the general syntax of function definition is,

returntype functionName(type1 parameter1, type2 parameter2,...)

// function body goes here

The first line returntype functionName(type1 parameter1, type2 parameter2,...) is known

as function header and the statement(s) within curly braces is called function body.
Note: While defining a function, there is no semicolon(;) after the parenthesis in the function
header, unlike while declaring the function or calling the function.

functionbody
The function body contains the declarations and the statements(algorithm) necessary for
performing the required task. The body is enclosed within curly braces { ... } and consists of
three parts.

 local variable declaration(if required).

 function statements to perform the task inside the function.
 a return statement to return the result evaluated by the function(if return type is void,
then no return statement is required).

Calling a function
When a function is called, control of the program gets transferred to the function.

functionName(argument1, argument2,...);

In the example above, the statement multiply(i, j); inside the main() function is function call.

Passing Arguments to a function

Arguments are the values specified during the function call, for which the formal parameters
are declared while defining the function.
It is possible to have a function with parameters but no return type. It is not necessary, that if
a function accepts parameter(s), it must return a result too.
While declaring the function, we have declared two parameters a and b of type int. Therefore,
while calling that function, we need to pass two arguments, else we will get compilation
error. And the two arguments passed should be received in the function definition, which
means that the function header in the function definition should have the two parameters to
hold the argument values. These received arguments are also known as formal parameters.
The name of the variables while declaring, calling and defining a function can be different.
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.

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
−

#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 −
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

Call by value
1
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.
Call by reference

2 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.

Difference between Call by Value and Call by Reference

Functions can be invoked in two ways: Call by Value or Call by Reference. These two ways
are generally differentiated by the type of values passed to them as parameters.
The parameters passed to function are called actual parameters whereas the parameters
received by function are called formal parameters.
Call By Value: In this parameter passing method, values of actual parameters are copied to
function’s formal parameters and the two types of parameters are stored in different memory
locations. So any changes made inside functions are not reflected in actual parameters of
caller.

Call by Reference: Both the actual and formal parameters refer to same locations, so any
changes made inside the function are actually reflected in actual parameters of caller.
CALL BY VALUE CALL BY REFERENCE

While calling a function, instead of passing

While calling a function, we pass values
the values of variables, we pass address of
of variables to it. Such functions are
variables(location of variables) to the
known as “Call By Values”.
function known as “Call By References.

In this method, the value of each variable In this method, the address of actual

in calling function is copied into variables in the calling function are copied

corresponding dummy variables of the into the dummy variables of the called

called function. function.

With this method, the changes made to With this method, using addresses we

the dummy variables in the called would have an access to the actual variables

function have no effect on the values of and hence we would be able to manipulate

actual variables in the calling function. them.

// C program to illustrate // C program to illustrate

// call by value // Call by Reference

#include <stdio.h> #include <stdio.h>

CALL BY VALUE CALL BY REFERENCE

// Function Prototype // Function Prototype

void swapx(int x, int y); void swapx(int*, int*);

// Main function // Main function

int main() int main()

{ {

int a = 10, b = 20; int a = 10, b = 20;

// Pass by Values // Pass reference

swapx(a, b); swapx(&a, &b);

printf("a=%d b=%d\n", a, b); printf("a=%d b=%d\n", a, b);

return 0; return 0;
CALL BY VALUE CALL BY REFERENCE

} }

// Swap functions that swaps // Function to swap two variables

// two values // by references

void swapx(int x, int y) void swapx(int* x, int* y)

{ {

int t; int t;

t = x; t = *x;

x = y; *x = *y;

y = t; *y = t;

printf("x=%d y=%d\n", x, y); printf("x=%d y=%d\n", *x, *y);

} }
 CALL BY VALUE CALL BY REFERENCE

Output: Output:

x=20 y=10 x=20 y=10

a=10 b=20 a=20 b=10

Thus actual values of a and b remain

Thus actual values of a and b get changed
unchanged even after exchanging the
after exchanging values of x and y.
values of x and y.

In call by values we cannot alter the

In call by reference we can alter the values
values of actual variables through
of variables through function calls.
function calls.

Values of variables are passes by Simple Pointer variables are necessary to define to

technique. store the address values of variables.

Benefits of Using Functions

1. It provides modularity to your program's structure.

2. It makes your code reusable. You just have to call the function by its name to use it,
wherever required.
3. In case of large programs with thousands of code lines, debugging and editing
becomes easier if you use functions.
4. It makes the program more readable and easy to understand.