Strings in C: Initialization and Memory Management

This lecture introduces the concept of strings in the C programming language, emphasizing their differences from other languages like Java. It explains that strings in C are represented as arrays of characters, terminated by a null character. The instructor discusses various methods for declaring strings, including using string literals, fixed-size arrays, and dynamic memory allocation. The importance of proper memory management is highlighted, particularly the need to allocate space for the null terminator. Common pitfalls in string assignment are addressed, such as the incorrect assignment of string literals to character pointers. The lecture also covers the correct usage of functions like strncpy for modifying strings and the significance of using const qualifiers to prevent unintended modifications. Throughout the lecture, the instructor provides practical examples and clarifications to ensure a solid understanding of string manipulation in C, reinforcing the idea that strings are not first-class objects in the language but rather arrays of characters managed through pointers.