CODEWITHSUNDEEP
cvisual-studio
user3152736
user3152736

Reputation: 129

How can void main return 0?

void main()
{
    printf("hi\n");
    return 0;
}

Why does the compiler give no error when I'm returning a value from the function main with return type void?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 3242

Answers (3)

zentrunix
zentrunix

Reputation: 2266

Either you are, or your compiler is, doing something wrong. You can't return a value from a void function. The compiler should emit a warning, at the least.

Upvotes: 0

haccks
haccks

Reputation: 106142

No. It can't. You are doing wrong. You can't return anything from a function whose return type is void. Your compiler should give a warning: 

[Warning] 'return' with a value, in function returning void [enabled by default]

void main is obsolete now. The standard says about the definition of main.

5.1.2.2.1 Program startup:

1 The function called at program startup is named main. The implementation declares no prototype for this function. It shall be defined with a return type of int and with no parameters: 

int main(void) { /* ... */ }

or with two parameters (referred to here as argc and argv, though any names may be used, as they are local to the function in which they are declared): 

int main(int argc, char *argv[]) { /* ... */ }

or equivalent;10) or in some other implementation-defined manner.

Upvotes: 1

zebediah49
zebediah49

Reputation: 7611

Main is special.

Strictly speaking it should be

int main(int, char**);

If you deviate from that (such as by using void), the compiler will likely throw a warning (if you have warnings turned on) but produce valid code anyway.

EDIT: Apparently int main() is also valid.

Upvotes: 0

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