Functions and Memory in C: Getting Started with Pointers

One of the main reasons C retains its relevance after 50 years is the level of interaction between the programmer and the memory which C allows for. While more modern languages such as Python manage the memory under-the-hood C allows the user to control all aspects of memory management. At the heart of C’s memory management capabilities lie pointers. Begin this course focusing on memory allocation layout and the concepts of stack and heap memory. Then explore pointers to learn how to view the memory location referenced by the pointer and how to dereference a pointer to view the data at the referenced address or modify data stored at the memory location being pointed to. Finally use the NULL keyword as both a value and a pointer to the non-existent memory address of 0. Upon completion of this course youll be able to use referencing and dereferencing operators in C and properly test for and use NULL values.