What is return in programming?

Answer 1

The return statement is used in functions to return control to the caller. If the function is declared non-void, the return statement also allows the programmer to return a value to the caller.

Answer 2

The return keyword is used to terminate a function and return control to the calling function. In the case of the main function, control is returned to the operating system.

The syntax for a return statement is:

return [expression];

The expression must be covariant with the return type specified by the function declaration. However, class constructors, destructors and functions of type void must not specify an expression.

If an expression is expected but is not given, the return value is undefined.

A function may contain any number of return statements.

A return statement is implied when the end of a function is encountered. However, if the function returns anything other than void, a return statement must be explicitly given with a valid expression. The only exceptions are the main function which implicitly returns an int with value zero unless otherwise specified, as well as functions where the end of the function is unreachable due to the fact all possible return paths are catered for within the function body (each terminated with its own return statement).

Answer 3

The return statement terminates the execution of a function and returns the control to the calling function.

return; /* Returns no value */

return result; /* Returns the value of result */

return 1; /* Returns the value 1 */

return (x * x); /* Returns the value of x * x */

It basically means it gives a value to the current function it restsinside of OR is a break point to exit the function with no value.