Delete a Character from a Given String in C Programming

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will learn how to delete a character in a given string using a C program. This operation is helpful in cleaning or modifying strings based on specific character conditions. If you’re learning C programming, mastering basic string manipulation like this is essential.

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C Program to Delete a Character in a Given String

#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    char str[100], ch;
    int i, j;

    printf("Enter a string: ");
    fgets(str, sizeof(str), stdin);

    printf("Enter the character to delete: ");
    scanf("%c", &ch);

    for (i = 0, j = 0; str[i] != '\0'; i++) {
        if (str[i] != ch) {
            str[j++] = str[i];
        }
    }
    str[j] = '\0';

    printf("String after deletion: %s", str);

    return 0;
}

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Explanation

• fgets() reads the full string including spaces.
• A loop traverses the string, copying all characters except the one to be deleted.
• The result is a new version of the string without the unwanted character.

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Sample Output

Enter a string: programming
Enter the character to delete: g
String after deletion: prograamin

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Use Cases

• Removing unwanted or special characters from strings.
• Sanitizing user inputs or logs.
• Understanding string array manipulation and index shifting in C.