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What are storage classes of variables in C++?
A storage class defines the scope (visibility) and life-time of variables and/or functions within a C++ Program. These specifiers precede the type that they modify. There are following storage classes, which can be used in a C++ Program.
- auto
- register
- static
- extern
- mutable
In C, The auto storage class specifier lets you explicitly declare a variable with automatic storage. The auto storage class is the default for variables declared inside a block. A variable x that has automatic storage is deleted when the block in which x was declared exits.
You can only apply the auto storage class specifier to names of variables declared in a block or to names of function parameters. However, these names by default have automatic storage. Therefore the storage class specifier auto is usually redundant in a data declaration.
It was initially carried over to C++ for syntactical compatibility only, although later it got its own meaning, automatic type deduction.
In C, the register storage class specifier indicates to the compiler that the object should be stored in a machine register. The register storage class specifier is typically specified for heavily used variables, such as a loop control variable, in the hopes of enhancing performance by minimizing access time. However, the compiler is not required to honor this request. Because of the limited size and number of registers available on most systems, few variables can actually be put in registers.
The static storage class instructs the compiler to keep a local variable in existence during the life-time of the program instead of creating and destroying it each time it comes into and goes out of scope. Therefore, making local variables static allows them to maintain their values between function calls.
The extern storage class specifier lets you declare objects that several source files can use. An extern declaration makes the described variable usable by the succeeding part of the current source file. This declaration does not replace the definition. The declaration is used to describe the variable that is externally defined.
The mutable storage class specifier is used only on a class data member to make it modifiable even though the member is part of an object declared as const. You cannot use the mutable specifier with names declared as static or const, or reference members.
Example
class A
{
public:
A() : x(4), y(5) { };
mutable int x;
int y;
};
int main()
{
const A var2;
var2.x = 345;
// var2.y = 2345;
}
the compiler would not allow the assignment var2.y = 2345 because var2 has been declared as const. The compiler will allow the assignment var2.x = 345 because A::x has been declared as mutable.
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