Pointer syntax in C: why does * only apply to the first variable?

Question

The following declaration in C:

int* a, b;

will declare a as type int* and b as type int

Answer 1

Because if the statement

int* a, b;

were to declare b as a pointer too, then you would have no way to declare

int* a;
int  b;

on a single line.

On the other hand, you can do

int*a, *b;

to get what you want.

Think about it like that: the way it is now it is still the most concise and yet unique way to do it. That's what C is mostly about :)