`getchar()` gives the same output as the input string

I am confused by a program mentioned in K&R that uses getchar(). It gives the same output as the input string:

#include <stdio.h>

main(){
    int c;
    c = getchar();
    while(c != EOF){
         putchar(c);
         c = getchar();
    }
}

Why does it print the whole string? I would expect it to read a character and ask again for the input.

And, are all strings we enter terminated by an EOF?

In the simple setup you are likely using, getchar works with buffered input, so you have to press enter before getchar gets anything to read. Strings are not terminated by EOF; in fact, EOF is not really a character, but a magic value that indicates the end of the file. But EOF is not part of the string read. It's what getchar returns when there is nothing left to read.

There is an underlying buffer/stream that getchar() and friends read from. When you enter text, the text is stored in a buffer somewhere. getchar() can stream through it one character at a time. Each read returns the next character until it reaches the end of the buffer. The reason it's not asking you for subsequent characters is that it can fetch the next one from the buffer.

If you run your script and type directly into it, it will continue to prompt you for input until you press CTRL+D (end of file). If you call it like ./program < myInput where myInput is a text file with some data, it will get the EOF when it reaches the end of the input. EOF isn't a character that exists in the stream, but a sentinel value to indicate when the end of the input has been reached.

As an extra warning, I believe getchar() will also return EOF if it encounters an error, so you'll want to check ferror(). Example below (not tested, but you get the idea).

main() {
    int c;
    do {
        c = getchar();
        if (c == EOF && ferror()) {
            perror("getchar");
        }
        else {
            putchar(c);
        }
    }
    while(c != EOF);
}

Strings, by C definition, are terminated by '\0'. You have no "C strings" in your program.

Your program reads characters (buffered till ENTER) from the standard input (the keyboard) and writes them back to the standard output (the screen). It does this no matter how many characters you type or for how long you do this.

To stop the program you have to indicate that the standard input has no more data (huh?? how can a keyboard have no more data?).

You simply press Ctrl+D (Unix) or Ctrl+Z (Windows) to pretend the file has reached its end.
Ctrl+D (or Ctrl+Z) are not really characters in the C sense of the word.

If you run your program with input redirection, the EOF is the actual end of file, not a make belief one
./a.out < source.c

getchar() reads a single character of input and returns that character as the value of the function. If there is an error reading the character, or if the end of input is reached, getchar() returns a special value, represented by EOF.

According to the definition of getchar(), it reads a character from the standard input. Unfortunately stdin is mistaken for keyboard which might not be the case for getchar. getchar uses a buffer as stdin and reads a single character at a time. In your case since there is no EOF, the getchar and putchar are running multiple times and it looks to you as it the whole string is being printed out at a time. Make a small change and you will understand:

putchar(c);
printf("\n");     
c = getchar();

Now look at the output compared to the original code.

Another example that will explain you the concept of getchar and buffered stdin :

void main(){
int c;
printf("Enter character");
c = getchar();
putchar();
c = getchar();
putchar();
}

Enter two characters in the first case. The second time when getchar is running are you entering any character? NO but still putchar works.

This ultimately means there is a buffer and when ever you are typing something and click enter this goes and settles in the buffer. getchar uses this buffer as stdin.