Storage Class

The storage-class specifier in a function definition gives the function either extern or static storage class.

Syntax

function-definition:
 declaration-specifiers_opt attribute-seq_opt declarator declaration-list_opt compound-statement

/* attribute-seq is Microsoft-specific */

declaration-specifiers:
 storage-class-specifier declaration-specifiers_opt
 type-specifier declaration-specifiers_opt
 type-qualifier declaration-specifiers_opt

storage-class-specifier: /* For function definitions */
 extern
 static

If a function definition doesn't include a storage-class-specifier, the storage class defaults to extern. You can explicitly declare a function as extern, but it isn't required.

If the declaration of a function contains the storage-class-specifier extern, the identifier has the same linkage as any visible declaration of the identifier with file scope. If there's no visible declaration with file scope, the identifier has external linkage. If an identifier has file scope and no storage-class-specifier, the identifier has external linkage. External linkage means that each instance of the identifier denotes the same object or function. For more information about linkage and file scope, see Lifetime, Scope, Visibility, and Linkage.

Block-scope function declarations with a storage-class specifier other than extern generate errors.

A function with static storage class is visible only in the source file in which it's defined. All other functions, whether they're given extern storage class explicitly or implicitly, are visible throughout all source files in the program. If static storage class is desired, it must be declared on the first occurrence of a declaration (if any) of the function, and on the definition of the function.

Microsoft Specific

When the Microsoft extensions are enabled, a function originally declared without a storage class (or with extern storage class) is given static storage class if the function definition is in the same source file and if the definition explicitly specifies static storage class.

When compiled with the /Ze compiler option, functions declared within a block using the extern keyword have global visibility, which isn't true when compiling with /Za. This feature shouldn't be relied upon if portability of source code is a consideration.

END Microsoft Specific

See also

C Function Definitions