C Function Pointers

A pointer is a variable that stores the address of a function, so that the function can be stored in the variable, sent as an argument, or called indirectly. The declaration is quite complicated because it involves a * sign, for example int (*op)(int, int), and is called as a normal function. This pattern became the basis of callback techniques and dispatch tables, for example choosing arithmetic operations based on user preferences. Understanding the pointer paves the way to more flexible program design.