CODEWITHSUNDEEP
carraystypessyntaxdeclaration
LeonTheProfessional
LeonTheProfessional

Reputation: 374

Why is c-array declared at variable-name, instead of type

Introduction

In c, the syntax of declaring a variable of a given type goes like this:

// <variable-type> <variable-name>
// for example:
int foo;

To declare a pointer, you use the asterisk(*), either behind the type, or in front of the variable-name.

int* bar;
int *foobar;

This pointer could also point not to a single element, but to an array of elements of the given datatype.
For example, an array of characters (a string):

char* oneString = "this is a string";

The alternate declaration(edit: although definitely not equivalent, as pointed out in the comments) of such a string then looks like the following:

//<variable-type> <variable-name>[<count>]
//example:
char anotherString[1024] = "this is another string";

In c# for comparison, you have it the other way around:

int[] intArray;

Main-Question:

What were the considerations of effectively declaring an array at the variable-name, instead of its type?

As a context/ for comparison

(not intended as another question, only to provide means of comparing design-decisions)
What might have been the reasons for the people creating c#, to break with this rule, and move the array-declaration to the type itself?

Upvotes: 3

Views: 528

Answers (1)

n. m. could be an AI
n. m. could be an AI

Reputation: 119867

The alternate declaration of such a string then looks like the following

It is a declaration of a different thing. It is not an alternative to the first declaration. In some contexts you can use them interchangeably, in other contexts you cannot.

In c# for comparison, you have it the other way around

Different languages are different.

What were the considerations of effectively declaring an array at the variable-name, instead of its type?

The design consideration was "declaration follows use". This means that if you are using a variable like this: a[i] and the result is int, you declare it like this: int a[N];. If you use it like this *a, you declare int *a. If you need *a[i], declare int *a[N], and if you need (*a)[i], declare int (*a)[N].

What might have been the reasons for the people creating c#, to break with this rule

The designers of C# have decided that the "declaration follows use" principle is confusing and not needed in their language. You decide if they were right.

Upvotes: 8

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