Page 111 - C-Language

Chapter 13: Compilation

Introduction

The C language is traditionally a compiled language (as opposed to interpreted). The C Standard
defines translation phases, and the product of applying them is a program image (or compiled
program). In c11, the phases are listed in §5.1.1.2.

Remarks

Filename
Description
extension

.c Source file. Usually contains definitions and code.

.h Header file. Usually contains declarations.

.o Object file. Compiled code in machine language.

.obj Alternative extension for object files.

.a Library file. Package of object files.

.dll Dynamic-Link Library on Windows.

.so Shared object (library) on many Unix-like systems.

.dylib Dynamic-Link Library on OSX (Unix variant).

Windows executable file. Formed by linking object files and library files. In
.exe, .com Unix-like systems, there is no special file name extension for executable
file.

POSIX c99 compiler flags Description

-o filename Output file name eg. (bin/program.exe, program)

-I directory search for headers in direrctory.

-D name define macro name

-L directory search for libraries in directory.

-l name link library libname.

Compilers on POSIX platforms (Linux, mainframes, Mac) usually accept these options, even if
they are not called c99.

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