puts() in C

In C programming language, puts() is a function defined in header <stdio.h> that prints strings character by character until the NULL character is encountered. The puts() function prints the newline character at the end of the output string.

Syntax

int puts(char* str);

Parameters

• str: string to be printed.

Return Value

The return value of the puts function depends on the success/failure of its execution.

• On success, the puts() function returns a non-negative value.
• Otherwise, an End-Of-File (EOF) error is returned.

Example

C

// C program to illutrate the use of puts() function
#include <stdio.h>
int main()
{
    // using puts to print hello world
    char* str1 = "Hello Geeks";
    puts(str1);

    puts("Welcome Geeks");

    return 0;
}

Output

Hello Geeks
Welcome Geeks

Difference between puts() and fputs()

The puts() and fputs() function have similar working in C programming language with major differences being:

1. Unlike the puts function which writes only in the stdout stream (console), the fputs function can write to any stream.
2. fputs function does not append a newline character in the stream.

Example

C

// C program to illustrate the return value of puts function
#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{

    int num = puts("Hello Geeks"); // storing the returned value in num
    printf("\n%d", num);

    return 0;
}

Output

Hello Geeks

12

Notice the value of ‘num’ is 12 and not 11, since the puts function considers the newline character (“\n) as well.