Glossary of C Language for IT Studetns

Prepared By : Prof. Uday Shah (HOD -IT)

Glossary of C Language 

• Compiler – Converts entire program into machine code.
• Interpreter – Executes program line by line.
• Algorithm – Step-by-step solution procedure.
• Flowchart – Diagrammatic representation of logic.
• Source Code – Human-readable program written in C.
• Object Code – Machine code produced by compiler.
• IDE – Environment for writing, compiling, debugging.
• Tokens – Smallest elements (keywords, operators, identifiers).

• Identifier – Programmer-defined name.
• Keywords – Reserved words with predefined meaning.
• Constants – Fixed values used in program.
• Variables – Storage for data values.
• Data Types – Define type of variable (int, float, char).
• Operators – Symbols to perform operations (+, -, *, /).
• Operands – Values on which operators act.
• Type Casting – Conversion from one data type to another.
• Expression – Combination of operators and operands.

• Sequence – Normal execution order of statements.
• Selection – Decision-making (if, if-else, switch).
• Iteration – Repeated execution (loops).
• For Loop – Entry-controlled loop.
• While Loop – Repeats while condition is true.
• Do-While Loop – Exit-controlled loop.
• Nested Loop – Loop inside another loop.
• Break – Exits loop or switch.
• Continue – Skips current iteration.
• Goto – Jumps to a labeled statement.

• Function – Block of reusable code.
• Library Function – Built-in function (printf, scanf, strlen).
• User-defined Function – Function created by programmer.
• Function Declaration – Prototype defining return type and parameters.
• Function Definition – Actual body of the function.
• Function Call – Process of executing a function.
• Return Type – Data type of value returned by function.
• Arguments/Parameters – Values passed to a function.
• Call by Value – Copy of value is passed to function.
• Call by Reference – Address of variable is passed to function.
• Recursion – Function calling itself.
• Scope – Region where variable is accessible.
• Local Variable – Declared inside a function, accessible only there.
• Global Variable – Declared outside all functions, accessible anywhere.
• Static Variable – Retains its value across function calls.

• Array – Collection of similar elements in continuous memory.
• 1D Array – Linear list of elements.
• 2D Array – Matrix-like structure (rows & columns).
• Multi-dimensional Array – More than 2 dimensions.
• String – Array of characters ending with null ‘\0’.
• String Literal – Text enclosed in double quotes.
• strlen() – Returns string length.
• strcpy() – Copies one string to another.
• strcmp() – Compares two strings.
• strcat() – Concatenates two strings.

• Pointer – Variable storing address of another variable.
• NULL Pointer – Pointer with no assigned address.
• Dangling Pointer – Pointer referencing freed memory.
• Pointer Arithmetic – Operations on pointer values.
• Structure – Group of different data types under one name.
• Union – Special structure sharing same memory for all members.
• typedef – Keyword to create alias for data type.
• File Handling – Reading and writing data in files.
• fopen() – Opens a file.
• fclose() – Closes a file.
• fprintf()/fscanf() – File input/output (formatted).
• fread()/fwrite() – File input/output (binary).

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