What is the difference between #include

Question

In the C and C++ programming languages, what is the difference between using angle brackets and using quotes in an include statement, as follows?

1. #include <filename>
2. #include "filename"

Answer 1

#include <abc.h>

is used to include standard library files. So the compiler will check in the locations where standard library headers are residing.

#include "xyz.h"

will tell the compiler to include user-defined header files. So the compiler will check for these header files in the current folder or -I defined folders.

Answer 2

In C++, include a file in two ways:

The first one is #include which tells the preprocessor to look for the file in the predefined default location. This location is often an INCLUDE environment variable that denotes the path to include files.

And the second type is #include "filename" which tells the preprocessor to look for the file in the current directory first, then look for it in the predefined locations user have set up.

Answer 3

Thanks for the great answers, esp. Adam Stelmaszczyk and piCookie, and aib.

Like many programmers, I have used the informal convention of using the "myApp.hpp" form for application specific files, and the <libHeader.hpp> form for library and compiler system files, i.e. files specified in /I and the INCLUDE environment variable, for years thinking that was the standard.

However, the C standard states that the search order is implementation specific, which can make portability complicated. To make matters worse, we use jam, which automagically figures out where the include files are. You can use relative or absolute paths for your include files. i.e.

#include "../../MyProgDir/SourceDir1/someFile.hpp"

Older versions of MSVS required double backslashes (\\), but now that's not required. I don't know when it changed. Just use forward slashes for compatibility with 'nix (Windows will accept that).

If you are really worried about it, use "./myHeader.h" for an include file in the same directory as the source code (my current, very large project has some duplicate include file names scattered about--really a configuration management problem).

Here's the MSDN explanation copied here for your convenience).

Quoted form

The preprocessor searches for include files in this order:

1. In the same directory as the file that contains the #include statement.
2. In the directories of the currently opened include files, in the reverse order in which
   they were opened. The search begins in the directory of the parent include file and
   continues upward through the directories of any grandparent include files.
3. Along the path that's specified by each /I compiler option.
4. Along the paths that are specified by the INCLUDE environment variable.

Angle-bracket form

The preprocessor searches for include files in this order:

1. Along the path that's specified by each /I compiler option.
2. When compiling occurs on the command line, along the paths that are specified by the INCLUDE environment variable.

Answer 4

The only way to know is to read your implementation's documentation.

In the C standard, section 6.10.2, paragraphs 2 to 4 state:

• A preprocessing directive of the form

  #include <h-char-sequence> new-line
  

  searches a sequence of implementation-defined places for a header identified uniquely by the specified sequence between the < and > delimiters, and causes the replacement of that directive by the entire contents of the header. How the places are specified or the header identified is implementation-defined.

• A preprocessing directive of the form

  #include "q-char-sequence" new-line
  

  causes the replacement of that directive by the entire contents of the source file identified by the specified sequence between the " delimiters. The named source file is searched for in an implementation-defined manner. If this search is not supported, or if the search fails, the directive is reprocessed as if it read

  #include <h-char-sequence> new-line
  

  with the identical contained sequence (including > characters, if any) from the original directive.

• A preprocessing directive of the form

  #include pp-tokens new-line
  

  (that does not match one of the two previous forms) is permitted. The preprocessing tokens after include in the directive are processed just as in normal text. (Each identifier currently defined as a macro name is replaced by its replacement list of preprocessing tokens.) The directive resulting after all replacements shall match one of the two previous forms. The method by which a sequence of preprocessing tokens between a < and a > preprocessing token pair or a pair of " characters is combined into a single header name preprocessing token is implementation-defined.

Definitions:

• h-char: any member of the source character set except the new-line character and >

• q-char: any member of the source character set except the new-line character and "

Answer 5

There exists two ways to write #include statement.These are:

#include"filename"
#include<filename>

The meaning of each form is

#include"mylib.h"

This command would look for the file mylib.h in the current directory as well as the specified list of directories as mentioned n the include search path that might have been set up.

#include<mylib.h>

This command would look for the file mylib.h in the specified list of directories only.

The include search path is nothing but a list of directories that would be searched for the file being included.Different C compilers let you set the search path in different manners.

Answer 6

In practice, the difference is in the location where the preprocessor searches for the included file.

For #include <filename> the preprocessor searches in an implementation dependent manner, normally in search directories pre-designated by the compiler/IDE. This method is normally used to include standard library header files.

For #include "filename" the preprocessor searches first in the same directory as the file containing the directive, and then follows the search path used for the #include <filename> form. This method is normally used to include programmer-defined header files.

A more complete description is available in the GCC documentation on search paths.