Input and Output functions in C

In this tutorial, we will learn to use scanf() and printf() to take input and display the output from the user.

So let’s discuss input and output functions in C without wasting any time because there is a saying that “Time is money”.

C Input

• In the C programming language, scanf() is used to take input from the user.
• The scanf() the function reads input given using the keyboards.

Example 1: Let’s see how to take Integer input/output

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

Output

Enter an integer: 10
Number = 10

Code Explanation

• %d is a format specifier inside the scanf() function to take int input from the user.
• The integer number entered by the user is stored in a variable n.
• &- This symbol is called ampersand and is also known as the address of operator.
• &n inside scanf() gets the address of variable n and the value entered by the user is stored in that address.

Example 2: Let’s see how to take Float and Double Input/Output

#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
    float x;
    double y;

    printf("Enter a number: ");
    scanf("%f", &x);
    printf("Enter another number: ");
    scanf("%lf", &y);

    printf("num1 = %f\n", x);
    printf("num2 = %lf", y);

    return 0;
}

Output

Enter a number: 19.523
Enter another number: 18.2
x = 19.523000
y = 18.200000

Note:- Here we have used %f and %lf format specifier for float and double respectively.

Example 3: Character I/O in C

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

Output

Enter a character: A
Entered character is A

Try the above code here with different characters.

Code Explanation

• A character data type is denoted by char in input and output functions in c programming.
• Character entered by the user has not stored itself, instead, an integer value (ASCII value) is stored.
• %c text format specifier is used to display characters.
• Instead of a character if we want to display its ASCII value we have to use %d
• In example 4 below, let’s see how to print ASCII value.

Example 4: ASCII Value

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

    printf("Entered character is %c.\n",ch); // Here we are printing the character

    printf("ASCII value of %c %d.",ch, ch);// Here we are printing the ASCII  
                                     // Value 
    return 0;
}

Output

Enter a character: a
Entered character is a
ASCII value of a is 97

You can have a full list of ASCII values here.

Try the above code here with different values.

Till now we have taken a single input of one type only. Let’s see how can we give multiple inputs of different data types in a single statement.

Input and Output functions in C for Multiple Values

Let’s write a code snippet to illustrate multiple I/O values.

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

    printf("Enter any integer and a float values: ");
    scanf("%d%f", &a, &b);

    printf("Entered values are %d and %f", a, b);  
    return 0;
}

Output

Enter any integer and a float values:9
5.6
Entered values are 9 and 5.600000

I/O Format Specifiers

Let’s summarize what we have learnt from the above examples.

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

Let’s have a look at commonly used C data types and their format specifiers.

C Output

Now in this block, as the heading suggests we are going to discuss how to print/display the outputs in C programming.

printf() is one of the main output functions that sends formatted output to the screen.

Example 1: Output

#include <stdio.h>    
int main()
{ 

    printf("Welcome to the World of C Programming");
    return 0;
}

Output

Welcome to the World of C Programming

How does this program work?

• All C programs must contain the function main().
• The code execution of every C program starts from the main() function.
• printf() is a library function to send output to the screen, prints everything as it is when entered in double quotes(” “) and terminated by a semicolon (;).
• We must include stdio.h header file using the  #include<stdio.h> statement for using printf() function.
• The return 0; statement is the “Return status” of the program and it is not mandatory i.e., It’s optional.