What is the difference between a definition and a

Question

The meaning of both eludes me.

Answer 1

definition means actual function written & declaration means simple declare function for e.g.

void  myfunction(); //this is simple declaration

and

void myfunction()
{
 some statement;    
}

this is definition of function myfunction

Answer 2

Declaration

Declarations tell the compiler that a program element or name exists. A declaration introduces one or more names into a program. Declarations can occur more than once in a program. Therefore, classes, structures, enumerated types, and other user-defined types can be declared for each compilation unit.

Definition

Definitions specify what code or data the name describes. A name must be declared before it can be used.

Answer 3

Find similar answers here: Technical Interview Questions in C

A declaration provides a name to the program; a definition provides a unique description of an entity (e.g. type, instance, and function) within the program. Declarations can be repeated in a given scope, it introduces a name in a given scope.

A declaration is a definition unless

• Declaration declares a function without specifying its body,
• Declaration contains an extern specifier and no initializer or function body,
• Declaration is the declaration of a static class data member without a class definition,
• Declaration is a class name definition,

A definition is a declaration unless:

• Definition defines a static class data member,
• Definition defines a non-inline member function.

Answer 4

From the C++ standard section 3.1:

A declaration introduces names into a translation unit or redeclares names introduced by previous declarations. A declaration specifies the interpretation and attributes of these names.

The next paragraph states (emphasis mine) that a declaration is a definition unless...

... it declares a function without specifying the function’s body

void sqrt(double);  // declares sqrt

... it declares a static member within a class definition

struct X
{
    int a;         // defines a
    static int b;  // declares b
};

... it declares a class name

class Y;

... it contains the extern keyword without an initializer or function body

extern const int i = 0;  // defines i
extern int j;  // declares j
extern "C"
{
    void foo();  // declares foo
}

... or is a typedef or using statement.

typedef long LONG_32;  // declares LONG_32
using namespace std;   // declares std

Now for the big reason why it's important to understand the difference between a declaration and definition: the One Definition Rule. From section 3.2.1 of the C++ standard:

No translation unit shall contain more than one definition of any variable, function, class type, enumeration type, or template.

Answer 5

From the C99 standard, 6.7(5):

A declaration specifies the interpretation and attributes of a set of identifiers. A definition of an identifier is a declaration for that identifier that:

• for an object, causes storage to be reserved for that object;
• for a function, includes the function body;
• for an enumeration constant or typedef name, is the (only) declaration of the identifier.

From the C++ standard, 3.1(2):

A declaration is a definition unless it declares a function without specifying the function's body, it contains the extern specifier or a linkage-specification and neither an initializer nor a function-body, it declares a static data member in a class declaration, it is a class name declaration, or it is a typedef declaration, a using-declaration, or a using-directive.

Then there are some examples.

So interestingly (or not, but I'm slightly surprised by it), typedef int myint; is a definition in C99, but only a declaration in C++.

Answer 6

To understand the difference between declaration and definition we need to see the assembly code:

uint8_t   ui8 = 5;  |   movb    $0x5,-0x45(%rbp)
int         i = 5;  |   movl    $0x5,-0x3c(%rbp)
uint32_t ui32 = 5;  |   movl    $0x5,-0x38(%rbp)
uint64_t ui64 = 5;  |   movq    $0x5,-0x10(%rbp)
double   doub = 5;  |   movsd   0x328(%rip),%xmm0        # 0x400a20
                        movsd   %xmm0,-0x8(%rbp)

and this is only definition:

ui8 = 5;   |   movb    $0x5,-0x45(%rbp)
i = 5;     |   movl    $0x5,-0x3c(%rbp)
ui32 = 5;  |   movl    $0x5,-0x38(%rbp)
ui64 = 5;  |   movq    $0x5,-0x10(%rbp)
doub = 5;  |   movsd   0x328(%rip),%xmm0        # 0x400a20
               movsd   %xmm0,-0x8(%rbp)

As you can see nothing change.

Declaration is different from definition because it gives information used only by the compiler. For example uint8_t tell the compiler to use asm function movb.

See that:

uint def;                  |  no instructions
printf("some stuff...");   |  [...] callq   0x400450 <printf@plt>
def=5;                     |  movb    $0x5,-0x45(%rbp)

Declaration haven't an equivalent instruction because it is no something to be executed.

Furthermore declaration tells the compiler the scope of the variable.

We can say that declaration is an information used by the compiler to establish the correct use of the variable and for how long some memory belongs to certain variable.