• Can be initialized when declared

• Assign value with assignment statement

• Value assigned to a pointer variable must be address of object of the proper type

• Object must be previously defined

• Can be initialized to a special value 'NULL', which points to nothing

Example:

char         x = 'A';      // variables declaration and initialization

char         z = 'C';
int          y = 32;        



int          *cursor;      // pointer declarations

int          *temp = NULL; // pointer declaration and initialization

char         *xPtr = &x;   // pointer declaration and initialization
                           // to a variable of the same type.




cursor = &y;               // set cursor pointer to variable y
xPtr = z;                  // redirect xPtr from variable x to z 
...