Difference between char pointer and pointer to char?

Question

I want to know the difference between char pointer and pointer to char..? Are they same? If no what is the difference?

I'd say "same". If you're in C++ land, using a "const" qualifier, then there are subtle distinctions in your declaration for "pointer is const" vs. "what's pointed at is const". But as far as your question: the two terms are equivalent. IMHO.. — paulsm4
– paulsm4, Commented Jul 30, 2012 at 6:06

paulsm4 · Accepted Answer · 2012-07-30 06:06:37Z

5

I think there is no difference between a "pointer to char" and a "char pointer".

char *p;

Both are just different ways to designate a pointer to char type.

edited Jul 30, 2012 at 6:06

paulsm4

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answered Jul 30, 2012 at 6:06

md5

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Comments

paddy · Accepted Answer · 2012-07-30 06:10:21Z

4

This question might make more sense if you backed it up with example code. As far as I'm concerned they mean the same thing, but I only ever think of "char pointer".

What I think you might mean is this:

char c = 'A';
char *pc = &c;            // <-- "pointer to char"?
char *p = new char [50];  // <-- "char pointer"?

In fact, pc and p above are both char pointers. They can both be used as arrays, although addressing anything other than the zeroth element of pc is going to cause problems.

answered Jul 30, 2012 at 6:10

paddy

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Eight · Accepted Answer · 2012-07-30 06:09:34Z

2

char pointer and pointer to a char are same i.e. char *ptr;

but, if you mean pointer to char array then their is a difference.

pointer to char array is declared as char (*ptr)[n] which stores the address of an char array of size n.

answered Jul 30, 2012 at 6:09

Eight

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Shash · Accepted Answer · 2012-07-30 06:10:16Z

2

There is no difference between the char pointer and pointer to char. Both are same. Normally text strings are represented in C by arrays of characters. Since arrays can be easily be manipulated by pointers it is often used.

answered Jul 30, 2012 at 6:10

Shash

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Happy Green Kid Naps · Accepted Answer · 2012-07-30 14:25:11Z

2

The confusion arises when you replace char with double. People colloquially use double pointer to mean pointer to pointer to some type, not pointer to double type.

answered Jul 30, 2012 at 14:25

Happy Green Kid Naps

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forsvarir · Accepted Answer · 2012-07-30 08:43:29Z

1

There is no difference. They are just written in a different way.

edited Jul 30, 2012 at 8:43

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answered Jul 30, 2012 at 6:09

yuval

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1 Comment

user529758 Over a year ago

Why would they be written differently? Or you mean 'it's an alternative expression'?

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