#ifdef #else #endif macro question

Question

I am new to C, and I am maintaining someones code. I came across this in the header file. I can understand that if the source is compiled on the windows it will enter the if statement else if the code is compiled on a linux it will enter the else statement. Correct me if I am wrong.

However, the question is why is # (hash) used in front of all the include headers?

Many thanks for any suggestions,

#ifdef WIN32
#   include <conio.h>
#   include <process.h>
#   include <stdlib.h>
#   include <string.h>
#else
#   include <unistd.h>
#   include <termio.h>
#   include <sys/types.h>
#   include <sys/stat.h>
#   include <fcntl.h>
#endif

Answer 1

The hash (#) indicates a preprocessor directive. The preprocessor runs over the code before compilation and does things depending on all the lines beginning with "#". The "#include filename.h" directive essentially copies all the contents of filename.h and pastes it where the "#include filename.h" line was.