Things Not To Do with Arrays in C Programming

Do Not Assume Fixed Array Bounds



Assuming array bounds without careful consideration can lead to writing or reading out of bounds, causing undefined behavior.

Do Not Neglect To Check Array Bounds



Always check that your array indices are within bounds before using them to prevent access violations and potential security vulnerabilities.

Do Not Forget To Initialize Arrays



Uninitialized arrays may contain garbage values. Always initialize arrays to a known value before use.

Do Not Use Incorrect Data Types For Indices



Using floating-point or other inappropriate data types for array indices can lead to subtle bugs due to improper casting or rounding. Always use an integer type for indexing arrays.

Do Not Misuse The Sizeof Operator With Arrays



The sizeof operator returns the total byte size of the array, which can be mistakenly taken as the size of the pointer, especially when the array is passed to functions. Ensure you use sizeof correctly to compute the number of elements in an array.

Do Not Pass Arrays To Functions Without Size



When passing arrays to functions, also pass their sizes to ensure safe access. Without size information, the function does not know the array's bounds, risking out-of-bound accesses.

Do Not Perform Pointer Arithmetic Without Checks



Pointer arithmetic can easily lead to out-of-bounds errors if not carefully checked, especially when incrementing beyond the array's allocated size.