On: Strncpy() is not a “safer” strcpy()

[_kst_]

    dest[0] = '\0';
    strncat(dest, src, size);

[jjnoakes → _kst_]

Sure. Or:

  strncpy(dest, src, size);
  dest[size - 1] = '\0';

[nitrogen → jjnoakes]

The fact that strncpy zeros the buffer may make it slower.

[jjnoakes → nitrogen]

Sure, by a couple of cycles. Unless your size is huge. In which case, perhaps you should try to avoid copying strings in the first place.