Thread: [C] General questions about using libraries

Here's what gcc has to say about where to find included header files: Include Syntax - The C Preprocessor.
The rules are similar for where to find libraries you're linking with. Basically, you can put headers or libraries wherever, so long as you tell gcc where to find them. But /usr/include, or a subdirectory thereof, would be conventional for headers.

EDIT: The end user does not need the library headers. Those are for programming only.

Here's some info on static vs. shared libraries: shared vs static libraries - Google Search.

In short, with static libraries, you have to deploy new binaries if you update the library version you use (major pain), but you don't have to worry about whether the end user has the necessary libraries on their system. Also, you have larger executables. With shared libraries, executables are smaller (the libraries are NOT part of the executable), and you can update your program independent of the libraries, but you must rely on the end user having a copy of the libraries your program requires.

EDIT: Added magenta text

Originally Posted by anduril462

EDIT: The end user does not need the library headers. Those are for programming only.

Unless the end user is building from source. Then they need everything you used.