Why Can't We Pass Arrays as Value Parameters in C ?

The Intriguing Enigma: Passing Arrays as Value Parameters

It's a curious phenomenon that while we can seamlessly pass complex class instances to functions, arrays seem to evade this privilege. This article delves into the underlying reasons behind this historical quirk.

Historical Roots

The crux of this issue stems from the precedence of simplicity over intricacy. To ensure clarity, arrays are designed to automatically degenerate into pointers when passed to functions.

Challenges in Copying Arrays

Implementing array pass-by-value would require a complex process of creating copies, leading to ambiguity. The behavior would vary depending on the parameters and function declarations, potentially leading to confusion.

Alternative Approach: Indirect Pass-By-Value

Despite the limitations of array value parameters, an indirect pass-by-value method is still feasible. By wrapping arrays within a struct, as illustrated in the following code snippet, we can indirectly achieve pass-by-value behavior:

struct A { int arr[2]; };
void func(struct A);

The above is the detailed content of Why Can't We Pass Arrays as Value Parameters in C ?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!