Clarify and remember const usage in C [closed]

Question

argv is an array of constant pointers to characters

char * const argv[] // 1

argv is an array of pointers to characters, which are constant

const char * argv[] // 2

Is there a tip to remember number 1?

Answer 1

const char * argv[] // 2

can also be written:

char const * argv[] // 3

because C doesn't care about the order of const in the type. If you write it this way, then the thing actually const is the thing to the left of the keyword const. The form where const is first is the one exception to that rule; but in that case there's nothing to the left of const so it is easy to avoid that case with this rule of thumb.

char*             // mutable pointer to mutable char
char const*       // mutable pointer to constant char
char * const      // constant pointer to mutable char
char const* const // constant pointer to constant char