C Programming Interview Questions for Freshers (With Detailed Answers in Simple Language)

If you are preparing for your first programming interview, C programming questions are almost guaranteed to appear.

Companies use C interview questions to test your logic, fundamentals, and understanding of memory. In this article, you will find the most important C programming interview questions for freshers with clear and detailed answers.

1. What Is C Programming Language?

C is a procedural programming language developed by Dennis Ritchie. It is used to create system software and applications that require high performance.

C gives programmers direct access to memory, which makes it fast and powerful.

2. Why Is C Called a Middle-Level Language?

C is called a middle-level language because it supports both:

• Low-level programming (memory access, pointers)
• High-level programming (functions, loops, conditions)

This combination makes C very flexible.

3. What Are the Basic Data Types in C?

The basic data types in C are:

• int – stores integers
• float – stores decimal numbers
• char – stores characters
• double – stores large decimal numbers

4. What Is a Pointer?

A pointer is a variable that stores the address of another variable.

Pointers are used for:

• Dynamic memory allocation
• Efficient array handling
• Passing arguments by reference

5. What Is the Difference Between malloc() and calloc()?

Both functions are used for dynamic memory allocation.

• malloc() allocates memory but does not initialize it
• calloc() allocates memory and initializes it to zero

6. What Is the Use of sizeof() Operator?

The sizeof() operator is used to find the size of a data type or variable in bytes.

This is important for memory management.

7. What Is a Structure?

A structure is a user-defined data type that allows you to store different data types together.

Structures are useful for representing real-world entities.

8. Difference Between Structure and Union

The main difference is memory usage.

• Structure allocates memory for all members
• Union shares memory among members

9. What Is Recursion?

Recursion is a process where a function calls itself.

Every recursive function must have a base condition to stop execution.

10. What Is the Difference Between break and continue?

break terminates the loop completely.

continue skips the current iteration and moves to the next one.

11. What Is a Dangling Pointer?

A dangling pointer points to a memory location that has already been freed.

Using dangling pointers can cause serious bugs.

12. What Is the Difference Between Array and Pointer?

An array stores multiple values of the same type, while a pointer stores the address of a variable.

Arrays and pointers are closely related in C.

13. What Is the Use of static Keyword?

The static keyword preserves the value of a variable between function calls.

It is also used to restrict scope.

14. What Is a Preprocessor?

Preprocessors handle tasks like file inclusion and macro definitions before compilation.

Examples include #include and #define.

15. Why Is C Still Asked in Interviews?

C tests a candidate’s understanding of:

• Memory management
• Core programming concepts
• Problem-solving skills

Final Tips for C Interview Preparation

• Practice writing code daily
• Understand concepts, not just syntax
• Focus on pointers and memory

Final Conclusion

C programming interviews focus on fundamentals. If you understand the basics clearly and practice regularly, cracking interviews becomes much easier.

Next Post: How Pointers Work in C (Explained with Simple Examples)