Identifiers

"Identifiers" or "symbols" are the names you supply for variables, types, functions, and labels in your program. Identifier names must differ in spelling and case from any keywords. You cannot use keywords (either C or Microsoft) as identifiers; they are reserved for special use. You create an identifier by specifying it in the declaration of a variable, type, or function. In this example, result is an identifier for an integer variable, and main and printf are identifier names for functions.

Syntax

identifier:

nondigit

identifier nondigit

identifier digit

nondigit: one of

_ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

digit: one of

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

The first character of an identifier name must be a nondigit (that is, the first character must be an underscore or an uppercase or lowercase letter)