Difference between Macros and Constants in C

#define SIZE 50
int const size = 50;

Answer:

MACROS

1. The statement “#define SIZE 50” is a preprocessor directive with SIZE defined as a MACRO. The advantage of declaring a MACRO in a program is to replace the MACRO name with the Value given to the MACRO in the #define statement wherever MACRO occurs in the program.

2. No memory is allocated to the MACROS. Program is faster in Execution because of no trade-offs due to allocation of memory!

3. Their Primary use in the program is where constant values viz. characters, integers, floating point is to be used. For example: as an array subscripts

    #define MAX 50     /* Declaring a MACRO MAX */
 
    /*
     * MAX is a MACRO which is replaced with value 50 wherever
     * occurs in the program
     */
 
    int roll_no[MAX];

4. A MACRO Statement does not terminate with a semicolon ” ; ”

CONSTANTS

1. The statement “int const size = 50;” declares and defines size to be a constant integer with the value 50. The const keyword causes the identifier size to be allocated in the read-only memory. This means that the value of the identifier can not be changed by the executing program.

MACROS are efficient than the const statements as they are not given any memory, being more Readable and Faster in execution!