Why Does an Empty Class in C Have a Size of One Byte?

Understanding the Size of an Empty Class in C

In C , unlike other languages like Python, even an empty class occupies memory. This raises the question: why is the size of an empty class not zero?

The answer lies in the C language standard. The standard prohibits objects, and consequently their classes, from having a size of zero. This restriction stems from the concern that distinct objects could potentially share the same memory address, leading to memory collisions and data integrity issues.

Hence, even classes without any data members or methods must have a minimum size of one byte. This ensures that every object of that class has a unique memory location, guaranteeing the integrity and accessibility of its data.

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