What happens with an extern inline function?

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Having added the inline to the function definition in the .c file is just superfluous.

  • Your compilation unit of the .c file sees an extern declaration (without inline) and an inline definition. Thus it emits the symbol for the function in the object file.

  • All other compilation units only see an extern declaration, and so they can use the function without problems, if you link your final executable with the other .o file.

In fact, you just have it the wrong way around. This feature is meant to be used that you have the inline defintion in the .h file, visible to everybody. This definition of the function only acts as a declaration of the symbol, just as extern would, but doesn’t define it.

An extern declaration in just one .c file (compilation unit) then ensures such that the symbol is defined, there.

The terminology is a bit confusing, the inline definition acting as declaration of the symbol, and the extern declaration acting as definition of it

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