C Input/Output: printf() and scanf()

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C Input Output (I/O)

C Output
In C programming, printf() is one of the main output function. The
function sends formatted output to the screen. For example,

Example 1: C Output

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
// Displays the string inside quotations
printf("C Programming");
return 0;
}

Run Code
Output
C Programming

How does this program work?

All valid C programs must contain the main() function. The code
execution begins from the start of the main() function.
The printf() is a library function to send formatted output to the
screen. The function prints the string inside quotations.
To use printf() in our program, we need to include stdio.h header
file using the #include <stdio.h> statement.
The return 0; statement inside the main() function is the "Exit
status" of the program. It's optional.

Example 2: Integer Output

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#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
int testInteger = 5;
printf("Number = %d", testInteger);
return 0;
}

Run Code
Output
Number = 5

We use %d format specifier to print int types. Here, the %d inside the
quotations will be replaced by the value of testInteger.

Example 3: float and double Output

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
float number1 = 13.5;
double number2 = 12.4;

printf("number1 = %f\n", number1);

printf("number2 = %lf", number2);
return 0;
}

Run Code

Output
number1 = 13.500000
number2 = 12.400000

To print float, we use %f format specifier. Similarly, we use %lf to print

double values.

Example 4: Print Characters

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#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
char chr = 'a';
printf("character = %c", chr);
return 0;
}

Run Code
Output
character = a

To print char, we use %c format specifier.

C Input
In C programming, scanf() is one of the commonly used function to take
input from the user. The scanf() function reads formatted input from the
standard input such as keyboards.

Example 5: Integer Input/Output

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
int testInteger;
printf("Enter an integer: ");
scanf("%d", &testInteger);
printf("Number = %d",testInteger);
return 0;
}

Run Code
Output
Enter an integer: 4
Number = 4

Here, we have used %d format specifier inside the scanf() function to take
int input from the user. When the user enters an integer, it is stored in the
testInteger variable.

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Notice, that we have used &testInteger inside scanf(). It is because
&testInteger gets the address of testInteger, and the value entered by the
user is stored in that address.

Example 6: Float and Double Input/Output

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
float num1;
double num2;

printf("Enter a number: ");

scanf("%f", &num1);
printf("Enter another number: ");
scanf("%lf", &num2);

printf("num1 = %f\n", num1);

printf("num2 = %lf", num2);

return 0;
}

Run Code
Output
Enter a number: 12.523
Enter another number: 10.2
num1 = 12.523000
num2 = 10.200000

We use %f and %lf format specifier for float and double respectively.

Example 7: C Character I/O

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
char chr;
printf("Enter a character: ");
scanf("%c",&chr);
printf("You entered %c.", chr);
return 0;
}

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Run Code
Output
Enter a character: g
You entered g

When a character is entered by the user in the above program, the

character itself is not stored. Instead, an integer value (ASCII value) is
stored.

And when we display that value using %c text format, the entered character
is displayed. If we use %d to display the character, it's ASCII value is
printed.

Example 8: ASCII Value

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
char chr;
printf("Enter a character: ");
scanf("%c", &chr);

// When %c is used, a character is displayed

printf("You entered %c.\n",chr);

// When %d is used, ASCII value is displayed

printf("ASCII value is %d.", chr);
return 0;
}

Run Code
Output
Enter a character: g
You entered g.
ASCII value is 103.

I/O Multiple Values

Here's how you can take multiple inputs from the user and display them.

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#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
int a;
float b;

printf("Enter integer and then a float: ");

// Taking multiple inputs

scanf("%d%f", &a, &b);

printf("You entered %d and %f", a, b);

return 0;
}

Run Code
Output
Enter integer and then a float: -3
3.4
You entered -3 and 3.400000

Format Specifiers for I/O

As you can see from the above examples, we use

%d for int
%f for float
%lf for double
%c for char

Here's a list of commonly used C data types and their format specifiers.

Data Type Format Specifier

int %d

char %c

float %f

double %lf

short int %hd

unsigned int %u

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Data Type Format Specifier

long int %li

long long int %lli

unsigned long int %lu

unsigned long long int %llu

signed char %c

unsigned char %c

long double %Lf

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