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The ‘if’ Keyword in C Programming

   January 1, 2024
C Programming @ Freshers.in

In C programming, the ‘if’ keyword is a fundamental construct for making decisions and controlling the flow of code execution. This article provides a comprehensive explanation of the ‘if’ keyword, its role in conditional statements, and includes real-world examples with outputs to illustrate its significance in creating flexible and responsive code.

Understanding the ‘if’ Keyword

The ‘if’ keyword in C is used to create conditional statements that allow code to be executed based on a specified condition. It enables programmers to implement decision-making logic, enabling code to respond dynamically to varying situations.

Syntax for ‘if’ Statement:

if (condition) {
    // Code to execute when the condition is true
}

Example 1: Using ‘if’ for Basic Conditional Execution

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
    int age = 25;
    if (age >= 18) {
        printf("You are eligible to vote!\n");
    }
    return 0;
}

Output:

You are eligible to vote!

In this example, the ‘if’ statement is used to check if the variable age is greater than or equal to 18. If the condition is true, the message “You are eligible to vote!” is printed.

‘if-else’ Constructs

The ‘if’ keyword can be extended with the ‘else’ keyword to create ‘if-else’ constructs, allowing for the execution of different code blocks based on whether a condition is true or false.

Syntax for ‘if-else’ Statement:

if (condition) {
    // Code to execute when the condition is true
} else {
    // Code to execute when the condition is false
}

Example 2: Using ‘if-else’ for Conditional Branching

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
    int temperature = 32;
    if (temperature > 0) {
        printf("It's above freezing point.\n");
    } else {
        printf("It's below freezing point.\n");
    }
    return 0;
}

Output (Positive Temperature):

It's above freezing point.

Output (Negative Temperature):

It's below freezing point.

In this example, the ‘if-else’ construct is used to determine whether the temperature is above or below freezing point and display the corresponding message.

Common Use Cases for ‘if’

  1. Decision Making: ‘if’ statements are used extensively for decision-making tasks within programs.
  2. Validation: ‘if’ statements are employed to validate input data and execute code based on input conditions.
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