Default Storage Class for Global Variables

Hey all,

I am trying to further understand the use of the keyword "static" for global variables. I know that if I declare a global variable as static, it will only be "visible" within the c file that it was declared in. I also understand that if I try to "extern" a variable declared as static in another file, it should not work.

Code:

---

//file1.c

extern int x; //shouldn't work
//extern static int x; //also shouldn't/wouldn't work
extern int y; //does work fine;

int main()
{
        return 0;
}

---

Code:

---

//file2.c

static int x;
int y;

---

Here is what I don't understand: I have read on more than one website, that the default storage class for global variables is "static". If that is the case, why does "extern int y;" work in my example above? Granted, I want it to work the way it does, but if the default storage class IS static, how can it? I'm probably thinking about this too hard...

NOTE: I am compiling on Ubuntu Linux using gcc. Also note, I am only refering to c, not c++.

Thanks for any clarification you can provide!

> I have read on more than one website, that the default storage class for global variables is "static".
There are a lot of websites which are wrong then.

Global variables (and functions for that matter) are extern unless you put static in front of them.

Thank you very much for your quick reply. I suppose this is a prime example of why we must watch what we read!

Thanks again!

What you are probably reading is that global variables have static duration, with external linkage. See: Static (C++)