C++ Header Files
Remarks
In C++, as in C, the C++ compiler and compilation process makes use of the C preprocessor. As specified by the GNU C Preprocessor manual, a header file is defined as the following:
A header file is a file containing C declarations and macro definitions (see Macros) to be shared between several source files. You request the use of a header file in your program by including it, with the C preprocessing directive ‘#include’.
Header files serve two purposes.
- System header files declare the interfaces to parts of the operating system. You include them in your program to supply the definitions and declarations you need to invoke system calls and libraries.
- Your own header files contain declarations for interfaces between the source files of your program. Each time you have a group of related declarations and macro definitions all or most of which are needed in several different source files, it is a good idea to create a header file for them.
However, to the C preprocessor itself, a header file is no different than a source file.
The header/source file organization scheme is simply a strongly-held and standard convention set by various software projects in order to provide separation between interface and implementation.
Although it is not formally enforced by the C++ Standard itself, following the header/source file convention is highly recommended, and, in practice, is already almost ubiquitous.
Note that header files may be replaced as a project file structure convention by the upcoming feature of modules, which is still to be considered for inclusion in a future C++ Standard as of the time of writing (e.g. C++20).
