Computer

Difference Between Type Casting And Type Conversion

Difference Between Type Casting And Type Conversion

Type casting is that the conversion of one data type to another, done by the programmer using the operator (). So it’s done while the program is designing. The data type are often promoted from lower to higher and vice-versa. Type casting should be avoided at pointers.

Type conversion is that the conversion of one data type to another, done by the compiler. So it’s done at compile time. It doesn’t use any operator but the condition is data type is promoted only from lower to higher data type.

The basic difference between type conversion and type casting, i.e. type conversion is made “automatically” by compiler whereas, type casting is to be “explicitly done” by the programmer.

The two terms “type casting” and “type conversion” occur when there is a need to convert one data type to another. When the two types are compatible with each other, then the conversion of one type to another is done automatically by the compiler.

Let’s see the difference between Type casting and Type conversion which are given below:

Type Casting:

  • Type casting is the conversion of one data type to another whenever required, done by the user.
  • Type casting can be applied to compatible data types as well as incompatible data types.
  • In type casting, for casting a data type to another, a casting operator ‘()’ is required.
  • In typing casting, the destination data type may be smaller than the source data type, when converting the data type to another data type.
  • Type casting takes place during the program design by a programmer.
  • In type casting, destination type can be smaller than source type.
  • Type casting is also called narrowing conversion because in this, the destination data type may be smaller than the source data type.
  • In type casting, the conversion type is narrowing conversion.

Type Conversion:

  • Conversion of one data type to another automatically by the compiler is called “Type Conversion”.
  • Whereas type conversion can only be applied to compatible data types.
  • Type conversion is the automatic conversion of one data type to another whenever required, done implicitly by the compiler.
  • Whereas in type conversion, there is no need for a casting operator.
  • In type conversion, no operator required.
  • In type conversion, the destination type must be larger than the source type.
  • Whereas type conversion is also called widening conversion because in this, the destination data type cannot be smaller than the source data type.
  • Whereas type conversion is less used in coding and competitive programming as it might cause an incorrect answer. It is less efficient and less reliable.

The basic difference which distinguishes type casting from type conversion is that type casting is that the conversion of one type to a different, done by the programmer. On the opposite hand, the sort conversion is that the conversion of one type to a different, done by the compiler while compiling. Type casting is named narrowing conversion because here the destination type is smaller than source type. Unlike, type conversion is named widening conversion because here, the destination type must be larger than the source type. Type casting is finished by the programmer, using cast operator ‘()’ and type conversion is completed by the compiler, and it doesn’t use any operator.

 

Information Sources:

  1. techdifferences.com
  2. geeksforgeeks.org
  3. quora.com