Why is Converting a String Literal to `char*` Invalid in C but Valid in C?

Why Conversion from String Literal to 'char*' is Invalid in C but Valid in C

C 's stricter type system enforces the use of a const char pointer for referencing string literals, preventing modifications that could lead to undefined behavior. This is absent in C, where the conversion from string literal to 'char' is implicitly allowed.

To address this inconsistency, C 11 removed the deprecated implicit conversion, rendering the code:

char* p = "abc";

invalid. However, an explicit cast maintains compatibility:

char* p = (char*)"abc";

The cast does not circumvent the underlying behavior. It allows the conversion to take place, but it does not prevent the undefined consequences of modifying the literal.

In C, the validity of this conversion is maintained for legacy code compatibility. Extensive existing code relies on this implicit conversion, making it impractical for the standard committees to break this functionality without prior warning.

Therefore, while C prohibits the implicit conversion to ensure type safety, C allows it due to the prevalence of codebase dependency. However, it is strongly advised to use char const* for string literals in both languages to avoid potential issues.

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