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What are the rand and srand functions in C++?
The rand() function in C++ is used to generate random numbers; it will generate the same number every time we run the program. In order to seed the rand() function, srand(unsigned int seed) is used. The srand() function sets the initial point for generating the pseudo-random numbers.
Both of the functions are defined in the header:
#include <cstdlib>
Code
In the code below, the rand() function is used without seeding. Therefore, every time you press the run button, it generates the same number.
#include <iostream>#include <cstdlib>using namespace std;int main() {int i = rand();cout << i;}
Let’s try using both of the functions together to see how it generates a different number after every click.
Note: The standard practice is to use the return value of
time(0)function as the seed.
#include <iostream>#include <cstdlib>using namespace std;int main() {srand(time(0));int i = rand();cout << i;}
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