Addressing pointers – the boogeyman of C programming

Before we begin our understanding of declaring, initializing, and using pointers, we must address some common misconceptions and unavoidable truths about C pointers.

C pointers are often considered one of the most troublesome concepts in C, so much so that many modern languages claim to have improved on C by removing pointers altogether. This is unfortunate. In many cases, this limits the language's power and expressiveness. Other languages still have pointers but severely restrict how they may be used.

Pointers in C are one of its most powerful features. With great power comes great responsibility. That responsibility is nothing more than knowing how to correctly and appropriately use the power that is given. This responsibility also involves knowing when not to use that power and understanding its limits. 

Untested and unverified programs that incorrectly or haphazardly...