What does the free() function do in C?
a) It deallocates previously allocated memory
b) It allocates memory dynamically
c) It sets a pointer to null
d) It prints a value to the console
Answer:
a) It deallocates previously allocated memory
Explanation:
The free() function in C is used to deallocate memory that was previously allocated using malloc(), calloc(), or realloc(). When memory is no longer needed, calling free() releases the allocated memory back to the system, preventing memory leaks. After calling free(), the pointer should not be used again until it is assigned new memory or set to NULL to avoid undefined behavior.
Understanding free() is essential for managing memory efficiently and ensuring that programs do not consume more memory than necessary, which can lead to performance issues or crashes.