c - Default case in a switch condition

Question

I have this code:

  #include<stdio.h>                                   
  int main()
  {   
      int a=10;
      switch(a)
      {   
      case '1':
          printf("ONE
");
          break;
      case '2':
          printf("TWO
");
          break;
      defalut:
          printf("NONE
");
      }   
      return 0;
  }

The program doesn't print anything, not even NONE. I figured out that default had a typo defalut!
I want to know why this syntax error is not detected by the compiler.

Answer 1

defalut is just a label in your program that you can jump to with goto. Having an editor that highlights keywords could have made this error easier to spot.

I should also note that your program may have some logic errors. The character '1' is not the same as 1, and the same with '2' and 2.