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Q&A What are disadvantages of static functions (ie functions with internal linkage) in C?

There is basically only one reason not to use static functions in C, as opposed to functions with global scope. That's if you want to access the function from outside the module. Otherwise, if th...

posted 1y ago by Olin Lathrop‭  ·  edited 1y ago by Lover of Structure‭

Answer
#2: Post edited by user avatar Lover of Structure‭ · 2023-07-09T03:02:01Z (over 1 year ago)
minor typos
  • There is basically only one reason not to use static functions in C, as apposed to functions with global scope. That's if you want to access the function from outside the module.
  • Otherwise, if the function is only used in the specific module, then it's beneficial to not export it to the whole world. By making is <tt>static</tt> (a bad name for not global, but that's C) you know that the only callers to the function are local to the module.
  • It also means the function is only in the namespace of the module, and you don't have to worry about being unique within the global scope. For example multiple modules can have local functions called <tt>init_state</tt> without any problems.
  • So overall, the answer is to make functions <tt>static</tt> in C unless they are meant to be called from outside the module.
  • There is basically only one reason not to use static functions in C, as opposed to functions with global scope. That's if you want to access the function from outside the module.
  • Otherwise, if the function is only used in the specific module, then it's beneficial to not export it to the whole world. By making it <tt>static</tt> (a bad name for "not global", but that's C) you know that the only callers to the function are local to the module.
  • It also means the function is only in the namespace of the module, and you don't have to worry about being unique within the global scope. For example multiple modules can have local functions called <tt>init_state</tt> without any problems.
  • So overall, the answer is to make functions <tt>static</tt> in C unless they are meant to be called from outside the module.
#1: Initial revision by user avatar Olin Lathrop‭ · 2023-07-08T21:09:03Z (over 1 year ago)
There is basically only one reason not to use static functions in C, as apposed to functions with global scope.  That's if you want to access the function from outside the module.

Otherwise, if the function is only used in the specific module, then it's beneficial to not export it to the whole world.  By making is <tt>static</tt> (a bad name for not global, but that's C) you know that the only callers to the function are local to the module.

It also means the function is only in the namespace of the module, and you don't have to worry about being unique within the global scope.  For example multiple modules can have local functions called <tt>init_state</tt> without any problems.

So overall, the answer is to make functions <tt>static</tt> in C unless they are meant to be called from outside the module.