Difference Between typedef and #define

first, You can extend a macro typename with other type specifiers, but not a typedef 'd typename.

That is,

#define peach int

unsigned peach i; /* works fine */

typedef int banana;

unsigned banana i; /* Bzzzt! illegal */

Second, a typedef 'd name provides the type for every declarator in a declaration.

#define int_ptr int * int_ptr chalk, cheese;

After macro expansion, the second line effectively becomes: int * chalk, cheese; This makes chalk and cheese as different as chutney and chives: chalk is a pointer-to-an-integer, while cheese is an integer.

In contrast, a typedef like this:

typedef char * char_ptr;

char_ptr Bentley, Rolls_Royce;

declares both Bentley and Rolls_Royce to be the same. The name on the front is different, but they are both a pointer to a char.