Typecasting in C is the process of converting a value of one data type to another data type. Typecasting is useful when you need to perform operations on values of different types or when you need to store a value of one type in a variable of another type.
In C, there are two types of typecasting: implicit typecasting and explicit typecasting.
1. Implicit typecasting: Implicit typecasting is a type of typecasting that is performed automatically by the compiler. Implicit typecasting occurs when the compiler converts one data type to another data type without being explicitly told to do so. This type of typecasting is done when the target data type is wider than the source data type. For example, if you assign an int value to a float variable, the int value will be implicitly typecast to a float.
2. Explicit typecasting: Explicit typecasting is a type of typecasting that is performed manually by the programmer. Explicit typecasting is done by placing the desired data type in parentheses before the value to be converted. This tells the compiler to convert the value to the specified data type. For example, if you want to convert a float value to an int, you can use the following code:
float f = 3.14; int i = (int) f;
In this example, the float value 3.14 is explicitly typecast to an int using the (int) notation.
It’s important to note that typecasting can result in data loss or unexpected behavior if not done properly. When typecasting, you should ensure that the target data type can represent the full range of values of the source data type. You should also be aware of the potential for overflow or underflow when converting between data types of different sizes.