What should main() return in C and C++?

In C/C++, the main() function is used in the beginning of every program. This returns the program execution status in the operating system.

Syntax

Following is the syntax of the main() function using C/C++:

int main(void);
int main(int argc, char *argv[]);

Example

Below, the C/C++ example shows the usage of the main() return value.

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
printf("Hello, C World!");
return 0;
}

#include <iostream>

int main() {
std::cout << "Hello, C++ World!";
return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

Common Return Values

Here, we provided the tabular data to understand the meaning of each macros that used in the C/C++ programs:

Points to remember

• C89: This required the explicit return.
• void main(): This is Non-standard for both C and C++.