Get to know the main difference between structure and Union?

C provides five ways of creating custom data: bit-filed, Union, enumeration, structure, and typedef. This article will explain the difference between structure and Union in C. Well, they are container data types; however, they have major differences. They may have more ability to hold any data type. Let’s understand the difference between structure and Union deeply. 

Difference between structure and union: Structure and union example

Here are briefly explain of the difference between structure and Union

What is a structure in C

Structure in c is a user-defined container data type that allows users to combine data types of different sorts to form a single type in any memory block. It’s far able to contain each complex and easy data types which might be associated with every other, which could fail to make feel in any other case. Every member inside the structure is provided with memory locations that may be retrieved and right of entry effortlessly and at any time.

C programmers opt for a structure when large quantities of records require grouping, as in a member listing used for storing names, addresses, numbers, etc., various members belonging to a membership. The information regarding every member is commonly depicted in ascending order, with each memory location starting at extraordinary offset values. Any modification within a specific member’s value will not affect the values supplied to other contributors in a structure. The struct is utilized to define a structure of different records that fall beneath a single name. The ‘struct’ keyword informs the compiler that an exacting structure is declared.

What is Union in C?

Unions in c are within the form of a selected data type that permits the storage of various varieties of data type’s kind of single memory place. Even if it is feasible to define a union containing numerous contributors, a singular member may best be furnished with a value at any given time. 

In preferred, unions in c work to apply any given reminiscence location for different functions. A union is taken into consideration to be quite just like a structure in c. Union in c is defined through the keyword ‘union.’ In this case, the members overlay the memory allotted to each other. Generally, unions are huge and sufficient to fill their members. 

In fashionable, c programmers use a union for storing values belonging to numerous data types. The term union defines Union, and its declaration is much like a structure. Here, the variable can store values of different data types: an integer, string, or float.

Difference between structure and Union in C

Here are some of the key difference between structure and Union. 

• Keyword: Structure is described by using the keyword ‘struct’ at the same time as ‘union’ is the keyword used for determining a union. 
• Memory allocation: Inside a particular structure, a separate memory area is allotted for each member. Each member occupies a different memory location and may not share any memory. Then again, a union delegates the same memory area for all, and allocating shared memory locations becomes possible. 
• Access of memory: Most effective one member in a union is accessible at any given time, though the Union saves a singular value for all its participants. Multiple values can be stored in a structure; a member may be retrieved and accessed at any given time. 
• Size: the Union’s size is the same as the size of its largest member, and the sizes of a structure are equal to the sum of the size of all members.

Conclusion

Now you may get more idea regarding the structure and Union and its main differences in C language. I hope you will get more information regarding it. 

FAQs about Difference between structure and union

What is the main difference between structure and Union? 

When it comes to initialization within the case of a union, the first member is the only member that is initialized with the value provided to its type. Various members can be initialized in a single move in the case of a structure. 

What is the difference between structure and union example with example?

When it comes to value, Union stores the identical value as given to all its members, and change in the single value member affects the value of all others. However, the structure stores distinct values furnished to all its members; any change in the value of a member will no longer affect the value of any others.