---
name: getc
status: documented
runtime: pp
source: src/runtime/pp/io.rs
---
```{index} single: getc; Perl built-in (pp runtime)
```

# getc

## Synopsis

```perl
$ch = getc($fh);   # one character from $fh
$ch = getc();      # one character from STDIN
```

## Description

Reads a single character from a filehandle.

Returns the next character from the specified filehandle as a
one-character string. When called without arguments, reads from STDIN
(filehandle id 0). Returns `undef` at end-of-file or on error.

Accepts both lexical (`$fh`) and bareword (`FH`) filehandles.

## See also

readline, read, eof