The return type of malloc() function is _______. Select the correct option: (A) int pointer (B) float pointer (C) NULL pointer (D) void pointer

The return type of the malloc() function is option (D) void pointer.
The malloc() function stands for 'memory allocation' and is used in C and C++ programming to dynamically allocate a block of memory on the heap. The function prototype for malloc() is typically defined in the stdlib.h header file.
Here's a more detailed explanation:

Return Type :

The malloc() function returns a void* (void pointer), which is a generic pointer type.
This makes malloc() versatile, as it can be used to allocate memory for any data type.
The void pointer can be cast to match any specific pointer type, which is necessary because malloc() itself has no knowledge of what type of data will be stored in the allocated memory.


Usage :

Because malloc() returns a void*, you typically need to cast the return value to the appropriate type you require. For example, if you need an array of integers, you would cast the returned pointer to int*.

int* array = (int*) malloc(10 * sizeof(int));

In the example above, malloc() is requested to allocate enough memory for 10 integers, and the return value is explicitly cast to int*.


Advantages :

Using malloc() allows for dynamic memory allocation, meaning you can determine the amount of memory needed at runtime rather than having to specify it at compile time.


Null Return :

If there is not enough memory available to complete the request, malloc() returns NULL, indicating that the memory allocation has failed.



Understanding how to use malloc() properly is essential for memory management in C and C++ programming, especially when working on applications that require dynamic memory operations.

Answered by DanielJosephParker | 2025-07-21