GETS(3)

NAME
gets - get a line from a stream

LIBRARY
libc

SYNOPSIS
#include <stdio.h>
char *
gets(char *str);

DESCRIPTION
This interface is made obsolete by fgets(3) and gets_s(3). See SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS below.

The gets() function is equivalent to fgets(3) with an infinite size and a stream of stdin, except that the newline character (if any) is not stored in the string. It is the caller's responsibility to ensure that the input line, if any, is sufficiently short to fit in the string.

RETURN VALUES
Upon successful completion, gets() returns a pointer to the string. If end-of-file occurs before any characters are read, they return NULL and the buffer contents remain unchanged. If an error occurs, they return NULL and the buffer contents are indeterminate. The gets() function does not distinguish between end-of-file and error, and callers must use feof(3) and ferror(3) to determine which occurred.

ERRORS

[EBADF]
    The given stream is not a readable stream.

The gets() function may also fail and set errno for any of the errors specified for the routine getchar(3).

SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS
The gets() function cannot be used securely. Because of its lack of bounds checking, and the inability for the calling program to reliably determine the length of the next incoming line, the use of this function enables malicious users to arbitrarily change a running program's functionality through a buffer overflow attack. It is strongly suggested that the fgets() and gets_s() functions be used in all cases.

SEE ALSO
fgets(3), gets_s(3)

STANDARDS
The gets() function conforms to isoC-99.