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comp.lang.c FAQ list · Question 18.8

Q: Don't ANSI function prototypes render lint obsolete?


A: Not really. First of all, prototypes work only if they are present and correct; an inadvertently incorrect prototype is worse than useless. Secondly, lint checks consistency across multiple source files, and checks data declarations as well as functions. Finally, an independent program like lint will probably always be more scrupulous at enforcing compatible, portable coding practices than will any particular, implementation-specific, feature- and extension-laden compiler.

If you do want to use function prototypes instead of lint for cross-file consistency checking, make sure that you set the prototypes up correctly in header files. See questions 1.7 and 10.6.


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