Pointers in C — the simple reason

Core idea: a pointer stores a memory address. That lets your code work directly with memory, arrays, strings, and functions efficiently.

Why pointers exist

If C had no pointers, you couldn’t: edit a variable inside a function reliably, handle dynamic memory, or build fast data structures like linked lists.

The two operators

& (address-of) → gives the address of a variable
* (dereference) → goes to that address and reads/writes the value

Typical mistakes

Using a pointer without assigning a valid address.
Confusing *p (value) vs p (address).
Forgetting that arrays “act like” pointers in many contexts.

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