Function returning pointers

Please see the code below :-

insert

Code:

---

int main(){
    int *p;
    int *fun();
    p = fun();
    printf("Value of i %d" , *p);
    getch();
    return 0;
}

int *fun(void){
    int i = -214223;
    return (&i);
}

---

When i print the value of i in main , i expect it to give a garbage value since the variable i is local to fun.
But actually its giving me the correct value.
How is this possible....Please help

Undefined behavior can mean anything. including giving you the result that you expect.
you could try to say call any function before printing the value with printf().

The variable was local, but after the function finished the memory was given back to the system, but given there is so little going on in this program.. when the location was called again the value had been unchanged because no other function needed the space yet.

That's my assumption.

Try to call some other functions and do stuff before printing the value of i and see if you get garbage.

yes when i actually call some other functions before printf() , it does give me a garbage value.

That would verify my thoughts.

"Local to function" is a language concept. It should be respected for your own safety and program reliability.

What the computer actually does with storage for such localized memory may be a superset of those concepts. If the locality of variables is no longer required - because the function has completed, then the system is free to reuse those portions of memory for the next requirement for "local" values. In current architectures it is most likely a common area set aside for such local uses. The stack.

If there was no requirement as in your example where you did not call a second function, the computer had no reason to scramble that memory area. In other words you were looking at old data that could at any time be replaced. Hence documentation would say "undefined behavior".