How to Clear the Console in C Language

You are probably familiar with console output if you are a C programmer and when you run a program, it can produce a lot of output in the console window that can be confusing and difficult to read. Fortunately, there is a simple and straightforward fix to this issue: clear the console.

In this post, we will explore how to use different methods to clear the console in C language.

Clear the Console in C Programming

During the C code execution, developers might need to clear the console before printing the new output. In C, there are various functions to clear the console, and the most commonly used methods are listed below:

system(“clear”) Function
system(“cls”) Function

The usage of these functions depends on the device and compiler you are using for developing the program in C language. It is recommended to choose the appropriate method mentioned above for clearing the console, for the specified compiler.

1: Clear Console Using system(“clear”) Function

If you are using a C compiler like GCC on a Linux or MacOS system, you can use this method for clearing the screen. In this method system(“clear”), the system is a library method that is used in <stdlib.h> header file.

Below is the syntax for the system(“clear”) function:

system("clear");

For example, the below code will print the Hello on the screen, and then the system(“clear”) function clears the console and prints the next statement.

#include<stdio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
int main()
{
printf("Hello!\n");
getchar();
system("clear");
printf("Welcome to Linux Hint \n");
}

2: Clear Console Using system(“cls”) Function

To clear the console screen, use the system(“cls”) function, which is a library function provided in the <stdlib.h> header file. This function is useful for modern compilers, Windows devices, and Turbo C compilers. The syntax for using the system(“cls”) is as follows:

system("cls");

The following program clears the console before printing the Hint on the screen:

#include<stdio.h>
#include<stdlib.h>
int main()
{
printf("Linux");
getchar();
system("cls");
printf("Hint");
}

}

Bottom Line

Clearing the console in C programming can be a simple solution to avoid confusion for developers and make documentation more readable. Developers can clear the console, depending on their compiler and device, using various methods such as system(“clear”), and system(“cls”). To avoid errors, It is essential to use the right method for your compiler.

How to Clear the Console in C Language

Clear the Console in C Programming

1: Clear Console Using system(“clear”) Function

2: Clear Console Using system(“cls”) Function

Bottom Line

About the author

Zainab Rehman