test_endianness.cc

// Source: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12791864/c-program-to-check-little-vs-big-endian
#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
    int x = 1;
    char *y = (char*)&x;
    if(*y){
      printf("This computer is LITTLE endian.\n");
      printf("     higher memory             \n");
      printf("      ----->                   \n");
      printf("    +----+----+----+----+      \n");
      printf("    |0x01|0x00|0x00|0x00|      \n");
      printf("    +----+----+----+----+      \n");
      printf("    A                          \n");
      printf("    |                          \n");
      printf("    &x                         \n");
    } else {
      printf("This computer is BIG endian.   \n");
      printf("    +----+----+----+----+      \n");
      printf("    |0x00|0x00|0x00|0x01|      \n");
      printf("    +----+----+----+----+      \n");
      printf("    A                          \n");
      printf("    |                          \n");
      printf("    &x                         \n");
    } 
    
    return 0;
}