Table of Contents
Understand the types of libraries
Include headers and link the library
Using pkg-config for common libraries
IDE and build systems
Home Backend Development C++ How to link a library with your C code

How to link a library with your C code

Sep 23, 2025 am 05:08 AM
c++ 链接库

To link a library in C , include headers with #include and use -I, -L, and -l flags; for example, g -I/path/to/include mycode.cpp -L/path/to/lib -lmylibrary -o myprogram links libmylibrary.

How to link a library with your C   code

Linking a library to your C code means telling the compiler and linker where to find pre-compiled functions or classes so they can be used in your program. This process involves two main steps: including the header files during compilation and linking the actual library file during the linking phase.

Understand the types of libraries

There are two common types of libraries you'll encounter:

  • Static libraries (.a on Linux, .lib on Windows): These are bundled directly into your executable at compile time. The resulting binary is self-contained but larger in size.
  • Shared (dynamic) libraries (.so on Linux, .dll on Windows): These are loaded at runtime. They reduce memory usage when shared across programs, but require the library to be present on the target system.

To use a library, you need to:

  • Use #include to access function declarations and class definitions.
  • Tell the compiler where to find the header files using the -I flag.
  • Tell the linker where to find the library using the -L flag.
  • Specify which library to link using the -l flag (lowercase L).
Example command using g :
g -I/path/to/include mycode.cpp -L/path/to/lib -lmylibrary -o myprogram

In this example, the compiler looks for headers in /path/to/include, searches for the library in /path/to/lib, and links against a file named libmylibrary.so or libmylibrary.a.

Using pkg-config for common libraries

Some libraries (like GTK, OpenGL, or Boost) provide a pkg-config file. This tool automatically supplies the correct compiler and linker flags.

g mycode.cpp $(pkg-config --cflags --libs somelibname) -o myprogram

This avoids manually specifying paths and library names, reducing errors and improving portability.

IDE and build systems

If you're using an IDE like Visual Studio, CLion, or Code::Blocks, you can link libraries through project settings:

  • Add the include directory under "Compiler Settings".
  • Add the library path under "Linker Settings".
  • Add the library name (e.g., mylibrary) under "Link Libraries".

For projects using CMake, use commands like target_include_directories() and target_link_libraries() to specify paths and dependencies.

Basically just make sure the compiler sees the headers and the linker finds the library file. Once set up correctly, you can call library functions in your code like any other.

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