Statements in C are terminated by semicolons from "summary" of C Programming Language by Brian W. Kernighan,Dennis Ritchie
In C, a program is composed of a sequence of statements. Each statement is a unit of execution, typically representing some action to be taken by the computer. These statements are terminated with semicolons. This is a fundamental rule of the C language, and it is essential to understand and follow this rule in order for your program to compile and run correctly. The semicolon serves as a delimiter, indicating the end of one statement and the beginning of the next. Without the semicolon, the compiler would not be able to determine where one statement ends and the next begins. This can lead to syntax errors and compilation failures, making your program unusable. Consider the following example: ```c #include <stdio. h> int main() { printf("Hello, World!") return 0; } ``` In this code snippet, the `printf` statement is missing a semicolon at the end. This would result in a compilation error, as the compiler would not know that the statement ends at the exclamation mark. By adding a semicolon after the string, as shown below, the code becomes valid: ```c #include <stdio. h> int main() { printf("Hello, World!"); return 0; } ``` It is important to note that not all programming languages use semicolons to terminate statements. However, in C, the semicolon is a crucial element of the syntax. By adhering to this rule, you ensure that your code is clear, concise, and easily understood by both humans and machines. In summary, remember that statements in C are terminated by semicolons. This simple rule is a cornerstone of the language and must be followed in order to write correct and functional C programs. So, always remember to include that semicolon at the end of each statement to keep your code error-free.
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