What Are The Differences Between %d And %i Format Specifier

In this blog, I am going to show you the difference between %d and %i.

Difference between %d and %i format specifier

• %d and %i are both used to read and print integer values but they still have differences.
• %d - Specifies signed decimal integer.
• %i - Specifies an integer.

%d and %i as output specifiers

There are no differences between %d and %i format specifier. If both the specifiers are same, they are being used as the output specifiers, printf function will print the same value; either %d or %i is used. 

#include < stdio.h >
#include < conio.h > int main() {
    int a = 13456;
    clrscr();
    printf("value of \"a\" using %%d is= %d\n", a);
    printf("value of \"a\" using %%i is= %i\n", a);
    getch();
    return 0;
}

Output

value of a using %d is= 13456

value of a using %d is= 13456

Sample code Screen

 

Sample output Screen

 

• %d and %i as Input specifiers
  There are differences between %d and %i format specifier. Both specifiers are different, if they are using input specifiers, scanf function will act differently based on %d and %. 

• %d as input specifier
  %d takes an integer value as signed decimal integer i.e. it takes negative values along with the positive values but the values should be decimal.

• %i as input specifier
  %i takes an integer value as an integer value with a decimal, hexadecimal or an octal type.

To give the value in hexadecimal format - the value should be provided by preceding "0x" and the value in an octal format - value should be provided by preceding "0". 

#include < stdio.h >
#include < conio.h > int main()
{
    int a = 0, b = 0;
    clrscr();
    printf("enter the value of a :");
    scanf("%d", & a); //reading a value from console
    printf("enter the value of b :");
    scanf("%i", & b); //reading a value from console
    printf("value of \"a\" using %%d is= %d\n", a);
    printf("value of \"b\" using %%i is= %i\n", b);
    getch();
    return 0;
}

Output

Enter the value of a :65

Enter the value of a :065 //little change in my input I'll take octal number here .

Value of using %d is= 65

Value of using %d is= 53 // Also I got little difference in my output. decimal number of 65 is 53

Sample code screen

 

Sample output screen

Thanks for reading.