calloc vs. malloc, stack vs. heap, register

calloc

<span style="font-size:18px;">void* calloc (size_t num, size_t size);</span>

Allocate and zero-initialize array

Allocates a block of memory for an array of num elements, each of them size bytes long, and initializes all its bits to zero.


The effective result is the allocation of a zero-initialized memory block of (num*size) bytes.


If size is zero, the return value depends on the particular library implementation (it may or may not be a null pointer), but the returned pointer shall not be dereferenced.


malloc

void* malloc (size_t size);

Allocate memory block

Allocates a block of size bytes of memory, returning a pointer to the beginning of the block.


The content of the newly allocated block of memory is not initialized, remaining with indeterminate values.


If size is zero, the return value depends on the particular library implementation (it may or may not be a null pointer), but the returned pointer shall not be dereferenced.


Stack
very fast access
don't have to explicitly de-allocate variables
space is managed efficiently by CPU, memory will not become fragmented
local variables only
limit on stack size (OS-dependent)
variables cannot be resized


Heap
variables can be accessed globally
no limit on memory size
(relatively) slower access
no guaranteed efficient use of space, memory may become fragmented over time as blocks of memory are allocated, then freed
you must manage memory (you're in charge of allocating and freeing variables)
variables can be resized using realloc()


Register
Registers are faster than memory to access, so the variables which are most frequently used in a C program can be put in registers using register keyword. The keyword register hints to compiler that a given variable can be put in a register. It’s compiler’s choice to put it in a register or not. Generally, compilers themselves do optimizations and put the variables in register.


1) If you use & operator with a register variable then compiler may give an error or warning (depending upon the compiler you are using), because when we say a variable is a register, it may be stored in a register instead of memory and accessing address of a register is invalid. 


2) register keyword can be used with pointer variables. Obviously, a register can have address of a memory location.


3) Register is a storage class, and C doesn’t allow multiple storage class specifiers for a variable. So, register can not be used with static .


4) There is no limit on number of register variables in a C program, but the point is compiler may put some variables in register and some not.