What is the difference between char * const and co

Question

What's the difference between:

char * const 

and

const char *

Answer 1

const char* is a pointer to a constant character
char* const is a constant pointer to a character
const char* const is a constant pointer to a constant character

Answer 2

I would like to point out that using int const * (or const int *) isn't about a pointer pointing to a const int variable, but that this variable is const for this specific pointer.

For example:

int var = 10;
int const * _p = &var;

The code above compiles perfectly fine. _p points to a const variable, although var itself isn't constant.

Answer 3

// Some more complex constant variable/pointer declaration.
// Observing cases when we get error and warning would help
// understanding it better.

int main(void)
{
  char ca1[10]= "aaaa"; // char array 1
  char ca2[10]= "bbbb"; // char array 2

  char *pca1= ca1;
  char *pca2= ca2;

  char const *ccs= pca1;
  char * const csc= pca2;
  ccs[1]='m';  // Bad - error: assignment of read-only location ‘*(ccs + 1u)’
  ccs= csc;    // Good

  csc[1]='n';  // Good
  csc= ccs;    // Bad - error: assignment of read-only variable ‘csc’

  char const **ccss= &ccs;     // Good
  char const **ccss1= &csc;    // Bad - warning: initialization from incompatible pointer type

  char * const *cscs= &csc;    // Good
  char * const *cscs1= &ccs;   // Bad - warning: initialization from incompatible pointer type

  char ** const cssc=   &pca1; // Good
  char ** const cssc1=  &ccs;  // Bad - warning: initialization from incompatible pointer type
  char ** const cssc2=  &csc;  // Bad - warning: initialization discards ‘const’
                               //                qualifier from pointer target type

  *ccss[1]= 'x'; // Bad - error: assignment of read-only location ‘**(ccss + 8u)’
  *ccss= ccs;    // Good
  *ccss= csc;    // Good
  ccss= ccss1;   // Good
  ccss= cscs;    // Bad - warning: assignment from incompatible pointer type

  *cscs[1]= 'y'; // Good
  *cscs= ccs;    // Bad - error: assignment of read-only location ‘*cscs’
  *cscs= csc;    // Bad - error: assignment of read-only location ‘*cscs’
  cscs= cscs1;   // Good
  cscs= cssc;    // Good

  *cssc[1]= 'z'; // Good
  *cssc= ccs;    // Bad - warning: assignment discards ‘const’
                 //                qualifier from pointer target type
  *cssc= csc;    // Good
  *cssc= pca2;   // Good
  cssc= ccss;    // Bad - error: assignment of read-only variable ‘cssc’
  cssc= cscs;    // Bad - error: assignment of read-only variable ‘cssc’
  cssc= cssc1;   // Bad - error: assignment of read-only variable ‘cssc’
}

Answer 4

const * char is invalid C code and is meaningless. Perhaps you meant to ask the difference between a const char * and a char const *, or possibly the difference between a const char * and a char * const?

See also:

• What are const pointers (as opposed to pointers to const objects)?
• Const in C
• Difference between const declarations in C++
• C++ const question
• Why can I change the values of a const char* variable?

Answer 5

The const modifier is applied to the term immediately to its left. The only exception to this is when there is nothing to its left, then it applies to what is immediately on its right.

These are all equivalent ways of saying "constant pointer to a constant char":

• const char * const
• const char const *
• char const * const
• char const const *

Answer 6

Another thumb rule is to check where const is:

1. before * => value stored is constant
2. after * => pointer itself is constant