How the header files work

[Firecore]

Hi guys
How exactly do the header files like iostream.h and stdio.h actually work?
Where is the source code for these files located?
Is it possible to read it?

[Banfa]

The header file just contain declarations of functions and types and constants required to call the interface they define. Typically the code for these functions exists in the C/C++ run time library which is normally automatically linked by the linker.

The library is binary, depending on your platform the source for this library may or may not be shipped with the compiler although it is shipped more and more often these days.

[weaknessforcats]

Also, stdio.h is a C header. C++ uses cstdio.

Also, iostream.h is the pre-ANSI C++ used prior to Sept 1998. You should be using iostream.

[Firecore]

The header file just contain declarations of functions and types and constants required to call the interface they define. Typically the code for these functions exists in the C/C++ run time library which is normally automatically linked by the linker.

The library is binary, depending on your platform the source for this library may or may not be shipped with the compiler although it is shipped more and more often these days.

Is it possible to create our own libraries?

[oler1s]

Sure, and in any non-trivial project, you will be using multiple third party libraries as well as making and using your own.

A library is just pre-written code than can be reused for whatever reasons. You can either ship the source code outright, or give it out as OS specific binary files, along with supporting files for compilation such as headers.

[Firecore]

Sure, and in any non-trivial project, you will be using multiple third party libraries as well as making and using your own.

A library is just pre-written code than can be reused for whatever reasons. You can either ship the source code outright, or give it out as OS specific binary files, along with supporting files for compilation such as headers.

Could you show me how to do create a sample library, that does say add two numbers or something of the sort?

[smalpani]

Could you show me how to do create a sample library, that does say add two numbers or something of the sort?

http://www.unet.univie .ac.at/aix/aixprggd/genprogc/create_shared_l ib.htm


a little bit of google always helps