pthread_create with integer argument in C programming

When working with pthread_create function in C programming, it is possible to pass arguments to the thread function using a void * pointer. However, if the argument is an integer, there are a few extra steps that need to be taken to avoid issues with memory alignment.

One approach is to allocate memory for the integer argument using malloc, and then pass the pointer to the allocated memory as the argument to pthread_create. For example:

void *my_thread_function(void *arg) {
    int my_arg = *(int *)arg;
    // thread code here
}

int main() {
    int my_integer_argument = 42;
    int *arg_ptr = malloc(sizeof(int));
    *arg_ptr = my_integer_argument;
    pthread_t my_thread;
    pthread_create(&my_thread, NULL, my_thread_function, arg_ptr);
    // rest of the program
}

In the thread function, the integer argument is accessed by casting the void * pointer to an int * pointer, and then dereferencing it. This ensures that the integer is properly aligned in memory.

Remember to free the allocated memory once it is no longer needed:

free(arg_ptr);

By following these steps, passing integer arguments to pthread_create can be done safely and without issues.