Introduction to Pointers

Abstract

One of the most powerful features of the C programming language is pointers. While many of the features of any programming language have the power for you to shoot yourself in the foot, pointers give you the power to blow your entire leg off. Because of the raw power of pointers, many popular languages either don’t support pointers at all (e.g., Java) or only let you use them in a very limited way (e.g., C#). Personally, most people go wrong using pointers because they don’t really understand what pointers are or what they do. Fortunately, you’ve been introduced to programming in a way that will make understanding pointers a snap. With that understanding comes faster, more efficient C programs. Let’s jump right in!