The static storage class specifier

A function declared with the static storage class specifier has internal linkage, which means that it may be called only within the translation unit in which it is defined.

The static storage class specifier can be used in a function declaration only if it is at file scope. You cannot declare functions within a block as static.

This use of static is deprecated in C++. Instead, place the function in the unnamed namespace.

Related information

• Internal linkage
• Namespaces (C++ only)