# gets

## PROLOG



           This manual page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual.  The
           Linux implementation of this interface may differ (consult the
           corresponding Linux manual page for details of Linux behavior), or
           the interface may not be implemented on Linux.
    


## NAME



           gets — get a string from a _stdin_ stream
    


## SYNOPSIS



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


## DESCRIPTION



           The functionality described on this reference page is aligned with
           the ISO C standard. Any conflict between the requirements
           described here and the ISO C standard is unintentional. This
           volume of POSIX.1‐2017 defers to the ISO C standard.
    
           The _gets_() function shall read bytes from the standard input
           stream, _stdin_ , into the array pointed to by _s_ , until a <newline>
           is read or an end-of-file condition is encountered. Any <newline>
           shall be discarded and a null byte shall be placed immediately
           after the last byte read into the array.
    
           The _gets_() function may mark the last data access timestamp of the
           file associated with _stream_ for update. The last data access
           timestamp shall be marked for update by the first successful
           execution of _fgetc_(), _fgets_(), _fread_(), _fscanf_(), _getc_(),
           _getchar_(), _getdelim_(), _getline_(), _gets_(), or _scanf_() using _stream_
           that returns data not supplied by a prior call to _ungetc_().
    


## RETURN VALUE



           Upon successful completion, _gets_() shall return _s_.  If the end-of-
           file indicator for the stream is set, or if the stream is at end-
           of-file, the end-of-file indicator for the stream shall be set and
           _gets_() shall return a null pointer. If a read error occurs, the
           error indicator for the stream shall be set, _gets_() shall return a
           null pointer, and set _errno_ to indicate the error.
    


## ERRORS



           Refer to fgetc(3p).
    
           _The following sections are informative._
    


## EXAMPLES



           None.
    


## APPLICATION USAGE



           Reading a line that overflows the array pointed to by _s_ results in
           undefined behavior. The use of _fgets_() is recommended.
    
           Since the user cannot specify the length of the buffer passed to
           _gets_(), use of this function is discouraged. The length of the
           string read is unlimited. It is possible to overflow this buffer
           in such a way as to cause applications to fail, or possible system
           security violations.
    
           Applications should use the _fgets_() function instead of the
           obsolescent _gets_() function.
    


## RATIONALE



           The standard developers decided to mark the _gets_() function as
           obsolescent even though it is in the ISO C standard due to the
           possibility of buffer overflow.
    


## FUTURE DIRECTIONS



           The _gets_() function may be removed in a future version.
    


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