Is it safe to return a const char* assigned a string literal from a function?

kelemat

I know it's safe...

const char *get_str_literal() {
    return "I literally can't even";
}

But is it?

const char *get_str_literal() {
    const char *str = "I literally can't even";
    return str;
}

If not, why?

EDIT : How does the following differ from the second snippet above?

const char *get_str_literal() {
    const char str[] = "I literally can't even";
    return str;
}

Are the contents of string literals copied into automatic array storage? What's wrong?

nothing

In the second example:

const char *get_str_literal() {
    const char *str = "I literally can't even";
    return str;
}

stris a pointer set to a string literal with static storage duration. So when execution resumes in the calling function, the returned pointer will still point to something, a string literal.

In the last example:

const char *get_str_literal() {
    const char str[] = "I literally can't even";
    return str;
}

Character arrays str[]are initialized with string literals. After initialization, str[]is an array charof characters containing the string literal, up to and including the '\0'terminator. When strthe declaration is encountered return, it is converted into a pointer const char, which is returned to the calling function. However, str[]with automatic storage duration, its lifetime will end and the pointer will become indeterminate, resulting in indeterminate behavior.

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