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Dynamic Memory Allocation in C using malloc(), calloc(), free() and
realloc()
Difficulty Level :
Easy ● Last Updated :
09 Dec, 2021
Since C is a structured language, it has some fixed rules for programming. One of them includes changing the size of an array. An array is a
collection of items stored at contiguous memor y locations.
A s it can be seen that the length (size) of the array above made is 9. But what if there is a requirement to change this length (size). For
Example,
If there is a situation where only 5 element s are needed to be entered in this array. In this case, the remaining 4 indices are just wasting
memor y in this array. So there is a requirement to lessen the length (size) of the array from 9 to 5.
Take another situation. In this, there is an array of 9 element s with all 9 indices filled. But there is a need to enter 3 more element s in
this array. In this case, 3 indices more are required. So the length (size) of the array needs to be changed from 9 to 12.
This procedure is referred to as Dynamic Memor y Allocation in C.
Therefore, C Dynamic Memor y Allocation can be defined as a procedure in which the size of a data structure (like Array) is changed
during the runtime.
C provides some functions to achieve these task s. There are 4 librar y functions provided by C defined under <stdlib.h> header file to
facilitate dynamic memor y allocation in C programming. They are: WHAT'S NEW
1. malloc()
2. calloc()
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3. free()
4. realloc() View Details
Let ’s look at each of them in greater detail. Complete Interview Preparation- Self Paced
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C malloc() method
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The “malloc ” or “memor y allocation” method in C is used to dynamically allocate a single large block of memor y with the specified size. Data Structures & Algorithms- Self Paced
It returns a pointer of t ype void which can be cast into a pointer of any form. It doesn’t Initialize memor y at execution time so that it has Course
initialized each block with the default garbage value initially.
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Syntax :
ptr = (cast-type*) malloc(byte-size)
For Example:
ptr = (int*) malloc(100 * sizeof(int));
Since the size of int is 4 bytes, this statement will allocate 400 bytes of memor y. And, the pointer ptr holds the address of the first
byte in the allocated memor y.
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If space is insuf ficient, allocation fails and returns a NULL pointer.
Example : Substring in C++
C Function Pointer in C
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h> Different Methods to Reverse a String in
int main() C++
{
// This pointer will hold the std::string class in C++
// base address of the block created
int* ptr;
int n, i;
Unordered Sets in C++ Standard
// Get the number of elements for the array
printf("Enter number of elements:");
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scanf("%d",&n);
printf("Entered number of elements: %d\n", n);
// Dynamically allocate memory using malloc()
ptr = (int*)malloc(n * sizeof(int));
// Check if the memory has been successfully
// allocated by malloc or not
if (ptr == NULL) {
printf("Memory not allocated.\n");
exit(0);
}
else {
// Memory has been successfully allocated
printf("Memory successfully allocated using malloc.\n");
// Get the elements of the array
for (i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
ptr[i] = i + 1;
}
// Print the elements of the array
printf("The elements of the array are: ");
for (i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
printf("%d, ", ptr[i]);
}
}
return 0;
}
Output :
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Enter number of elements: 5
LANGUAGE
Memory successfully allocated using malloc.
The elements of the array are: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Enumeration (or enum) in C
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C calloc() method
1. “calloc ” or “contiguous allocation” method in C is used to dynamically allocate the specified number of block s of memor y of the
specified t ype. it is ver y much similar to malloc() but has two dif ferent point s and these are: INT_MAX and INT_MIN in C/C++ and
Applications
2. It initializes each block with a default value ‘0’.
3. It has two parameters or argument s as compare to malloc().
Syntax : Operators in C / C++
ptr = (cast-type*)calloc(n, element-size);
here, n is the no. of elements and element-size is the size of each element.
For Example :
ptr = (float*) calloc(25, sizeof(float));
This statement allocates contiguous space in memor y for 25 element s each with the size of the float.
If space is insuf ficient, allocation fails and returns a NULL pointer.
Example :
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main()
{
// This pointer will hold the
// base address of the block created
int* ptr;
int n, i;
// Get the number of elements for the array
n = 5;
printf("Enter number of elements: %d\n", n);
// Dynamically allocate memory using calloc()
ptr = (int*)calloc(n, sizeof(int));
// Check if the memory has been successfully
// allocated by calloc or not
if (ptr == NULL) {
printf("Memory not allocated.\n");
exit(0);
}
else {
// Memory has been successfully allocated
printf("Memory successfully allocated using calloc.\n");
// Get the elements of the array
for (i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
ptr[i] = i + 1;
}
// Print the elements of the array
printf("The elements of the array are: ");
for (i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
printf("%d, ", ptr[i]);
}
}
return 0;
}
Output :
Enter number of elements: 5
Memory successfully allocated using calloc.
The elements of the array are: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
C free() method
“free” method in C is used to dynamically de-allocate the memor y. The memor y allocated using functions malloc() and calloc() is not de-
allocated on their own. Hence the free() method is used, whenever the dynamic memor y allocation takes place. It helps to reduce
wastage of memor y by freeing it.
Syntax :
free(ptr);
Example :
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main()
{
// This pointer will hold the
// base address of the block created
int *ptr, *ptr1;
int n, i;
// Get the number of elements for the array
n = 5;
printf("Enter number of elements: %d\n", n);
// Dynamically allocate memory using malloc()
ptr = (int*)malloc(n * sizeof(int));
// Dynamically allocate memory using calloc()
ptr1 = (int*)calloc(n, sizeof(int));
// Check if the memory has been successfully
// allocated by malloc or not
if (ptr == NULL || ptr1 == NULL) {
printf("Memory not allocated.\n");
exit(0);
}
else {
// Memory has been successfully allocated
printf("Memory successfully allocated using malloc.\n");
// Free the memory
free(ptr);
printf("Malloc Memory successfully freed.\n");
// Memory has been successfully allocated
printf("\nMemory successfully allocated using calloc.\n");
// Free the memory
free(ptr1);
printf("Calloc Memory successfully freed.\n");
}
return 0;
}
Output :
Enter number of elements: 5
Memory successfully allocated using malloc.
Malloc Memory successfully freed.
Memory successfully allocated using calloc.
Calloc Memory successfully freed.
C realloc() method
“realloc ” or “re-allocation” method in C is used to dynamically change the memor y allocation of a previously allocated memor y. In other
words, if the memor y previously allocated with the help of malloc or calloc is insuf ficient, realloc can be used to dynamically re-allocate
memor y. re-allocation of memor y maintains the already present value and new block s will be initialized with the default garbage value.
Syntax :
ptr = realloc(ptr, newSize);
where ptr is reallocated with new size 'newSize'.
If space is insuf ficient, allocation fails and returns a NULL pointer.
Example :
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main()
{
// This pointer will hold the
// base address of the block created
int* ptr;
int n, i;
// Get the number of elements for the array
n = 5;
printf("Enter number of elements: %d\n", n);
// Dynamically allocate memory using calloc()
ptr = (int*)calloc(n, sizeof(int));
// Check if the memory has been successfully
// allocated by malloc or not
if (ptr == NULL) {
printf("Memory not allocated.\n");
exit(0);
}
else {
// Memory has been successfully allocated
printf("Memory successfully allocated using calloc.\n");
// Get the elements of the array
for (i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
ptr[i] = i + 1;
}
// Print the elements of the array
printf("The elements of the array are: ");
for (i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
printf("%d, ", ptr[i]);
}
// Get the new size for the array
n = 10;
printf("\n\nEnter the new size of the array: %d\n", n);
// Dynamically re-allocate memory using realloc()
ptr = realloc(ptr, n * sizeof(int));
// Memory has been successfully allocated
printf("Memory successfully re-allocated using realloc.\n");
// Get the new elements of the array
for (i = 5; i < n; ++i) {
ptr[i] = i + 1;
}
// Print the elements of the array
printf("The elements of the array are: ");
for (i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
printf("%d, ", ptr[i]);
}
free(ptr);
}
return 0;
}
Output :
Enter number of elements: 5
Memory successfully allocated using calloc.
The elements of the array are: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,
Enter the new size of the array: 10
Memory successfully re-allocated using realloc.
The elements of the array are: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
One another example for realloc() method is:
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main()
{
int index = 0, i = 0, n,
*marks; // this marks pointer hold the base address
// of the block created
int ans;
marks = (int*)malloc(sizeof(
int)); // dynamically allocate memory using malloc
// check if the memory is successfully allocated by
// malloc or not?
if (marks == NULL) {
printf("memory cannot be allocated");
}
else {
// memory has successfully allocated
printf("Memory has been successfully allocated by "
"using malloc\n");
printf("\n marks = %pc\n",
marks); // print the base or beginning
// address of allocated memory
do {
printf("\n Enter Marks\n");
scanf("%d", &marks[index]); // Get the marks
printf("would you like to add more(1/0): ");
scanf("%d", &ans);
if (ans == 1) {
index++;
marks = (int*)realloc(
marks,
(index + 1)
* sizeof(
int)); // Dynamically reallocate
// memory by using realloc
// check if the memory is successfully
// allocated by realloc or not?
if (marks == NULL) {
printf("memory cannot be allocated");
}
else {
printf("Memory has been successfully "
"reallocated using realloc:\n");
printf(
"\n base address of marks are:%pc",
marks); ////print the base or
///beginning address of
///allocated memory
}
}
} while (ans == 1);
// print the marks of the students
for (i = 0; i <= index; i++) {
printf("marks of students %d are: %d\n ", i,
marks[i]);
}
free(marks);
}
return 0;
}
Output :
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Article Contributed B y : Vote for dif ficult y
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RishabhPrabhu
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Improved By : newcollegetalent, Navfal, menariyanarayanlal, AnujMehla, khushboogoyal499
Article Tags : C Basics, Dynamic Memory Allocation, C Language
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