static

staticdeclarator

When modifying a variable, the static keyword specifies that the variable has static duration (it is allocated when the program begins and deallocated when the program ends) and initializes it to 0 unless another value is specified. When modifying a variable or function at file scope, the static keyword specifies that the variable or function has internal linkage (its name is not visible from outside the file in which it is declared).

In C++, when modifying a data member in a class declaration, the static keyword specifies that one copy of the member is shared by all the instances of the class. When modifying a member function in a class declaration, the static keyword specifies that the function accesses only static members.

For related information, see auto, extern, and register.

Example

// Example of the static keyword
static int i;         // Variable accessible only from this file

static void func();   // Function accessible only from this file

int max_so_far( int curr )
{
   static int biggest;    // Variable whose value is retained
                          //    between each function call
   if( curr > biggest )
      biggest = curr;

   return biggest;
}

// C++ only

class SavingsAccount
{
public:
   static void setInterest( float newValue )  // Member function
      { currentRate = newValue; }             //    that accesses
                                              //    only static
                                              //    members
private:
   char name[30];
   float total;
   static float currentRate;    // One copy of this member is
                                //    shared among all instances
                                //    of SavingsAccount
};

// Static data members must be initialized at file scope, even
//    if private.
float SavingsAccount::currentRate = 0.00154;