Getting Single Characters in C: A Simple scanf() Guide

Do you need to read just one letter in C? Not a whole word, just a single character?
Like for initials or choosing 'Y' or 'N' from a menu. This happens a lot!
scanf() can help you do this. It's good for reading single characters. In this guide, we will show you how to get characters from the user. We will also show how to handle spaces. Then, we will print what you typed.
This program is great if you are new to C. It also helps if you just need a quick reminder about character input. Let's start!"
Practical Implementations:

#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
    char ch1, ch2, ch3;

    // Ask the user to enter three characters one by one
    printf("Enter first character: ");
    scanf(" %c", &ch1);  // The space before %c clears leftover whitespace

    printf("Enter second character: ");
    scanf(" %c", &ch2);

    printf("Enter third character: ");
    scanf(" %c", &ch3);

    // Display the entered characters
    printf("You entered: '%c', '%c', and '%c'\n", ch1, ch2, ch3);

    return 0;
}

Output:
Enter first character: A
Enter second character: B
Enter third character: C
You entered: 'A', 'B', and 'C'

Description:
This program shows how to safely and accurately read individual characters in C, which is a common need in interactive apps or quizzes.

Why Use " %c" (with a space)?
When taking multiple characters using scanf("%c", ...), the Enter key or previous inputs can cause issues. Adding a space before %c helps skip unwanted whitespace characters, ensuring smooth input each time.

Key Learnings:
You can input and store characters one at a time using %c.
char variables are ideal for storing letters, symbols or digits entered by the user.
Proper spacing in scanf() helps avoid common input bugs.

How to Read Individual Characters in C Using scanf()

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