Things Not To Do with Characters in C Programming

Do Not Ignore Character Encoding



Character encoding determines how characters are stored in memory. Ignoring or misinterpreting the encoding (like ASCII, UTF-8) can lead to bugs in processing textual data.

Do Not Forget Null-Terminating Strings



In C, strings are null-terminated; failing to ensure that strings are properly null-terminated can lead to buffer overruns and undefined behavior.

Do Not Use Single Byte Functions For Multibyte Characters



Using functions designed for single-byte characters (like strlen, strcpy) on multibyte character strings can cause incorrect calculations and operations.

Do Not Overlook Case Sensitivity In Character Comparisons



Characters in C are case-sensitive. Assuming otherwise can lead to logic errors in string processing and comparisons.

Do Not Perform Character Arithmetic Without Understanding ASCII



Performing arithmetic on characters relies on their ASCII values. Without understanding ASCII, such operations can yield unexpected results.

Do Not Use Magic Numbers In Character Handling



Using magic numbers for character values makes the code less readable and maintainable. Use character literals like 'A' instead of their ASCII numeric values.