# <limits.h>

**[<limits.h>](https://en.cppreference.com/w/c/header/limits)** provides platform-specific integer type limits: `INT_MAX`, `INT_MIN`, `UINT_MAX`, `LONG_MAX`, etc. Use these when writing portable code that works correctly regardless of whether integers are 32 or 64 bits.

Never hardcode values like `2147483647` directly; use the macros instead.

## Example

This example queries integer limits and demonstrates overflow checking.

```c
// compile: gcc -o limitsexample limitsexample.c
// run: ./limitsexample
// description: query integer limits and check for overflow

#include <limits.h>
#include <stdio.h>

int main() {
    printf("INT_MAX = %d\n", INT_MAX);
    printf("INT_MIN = %d\n", INT_MIN);
    printf("UINT_MAX = %u\n", UINT_MAX);
    printf("LONG_MAX = %ld\n", LONG_MAX);
    
    int a = INT_MAX, b = 1;
    if (a > INT_MAX - b)
        printf("INT_MAX + 1 would overflow\n");
    
    unsigned int u = UINT_MAX;
    printf("UINT_MAX + 1 = %u (wraps to 0)\n", u + 1);
    
    return 0;
}
```