const - are these 2 the same?

[almo6914]

const char *p = a; // changeable pointer to constant char
char const *p = a; // changeable pointer to constant char

I'm taking an assessment test. For some reason I'm confused by the second one. My guess is it's "changeable pointer to constant char" but I want to get 100% on this assessment so I can possibly get a job, and I want to double-check it.

[JLBorges]

They are the same type.

Tip: read pointer declarations from right to left.

const char* p1 = nullptr ; // p1 (*) is a pointer to const char
char const* p2 = nullptr ; // p2 (*) is a pointer to const char
char* const p3 = nullptr ; // p3 is a const (*) pointer to char 

[vlad from moscow]

To be sure I suggest to read a declaration from the right to the left starting from * So the declaration

const char *

means

* - ponter to
char - character
const - which is const

This declaration

char const *

means the same

* - pointer to
const - const
char - character.

And this declaration

const char * const

means

const - const
* - pointer to
char - character
const - which is const

So as the result you will get const pointer to const char

[zb0S216C]

Here's my version:

const char *String;        // A 
char const *String;        // B
char * const String;       // C
const char * const String; // D 

A & B) A pointer to constant data. This pointer can point to different locations, but cannot modify the data it points to.

C) A constant pointer to non-constant data. This pointer cannot point to another location, but can modify the data it points to.

D) A constant pointer to constant data. This pointer cannot point to another location, nor can it change the data it points to.

_Wazzak