What are the different types of variable lifetime in programming?

What are the different types of variable lifetime in programming?

In programming, variable lifetime refers to the duration a variable exists in memory. There are mainly three types: static, automatic, and dynamic.

Can you explain static variables?

Static variables are allocated memory once and retain their value between function calls. They exist for the entire duration of the program.

What about automatic variables?

Automatic variables are created when a function is called and destroyed when the function exits. They are typically stored on the stack.

And dynamic variables?

Dynamic variables are allocated memory at runtime using functions like malloc in C or new in C++. They must be manually deallocated.

How do I manage memory for dynamic variables?

You should always free the memory allocated for dynamic variables when they are no longer needed to prevent memory leaks.