http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=57574
Bug ID: 57574 Summary: -std=c99 inline function incorrectly has external linkage with prior static declaration Product: gcc Version: 4.8.0 Status: UNCONFIRMED Severity: normal Priority: P3 Component: c Assignee: unassigned at gcc dot gnu.org Reporter: nszabolcs at gmail dot com gcc emits incorrect warning for inline function with internal linkage: $ cat example.c static int n; static inline int f(void); inline int f(void) {return n;} int g(){return f();} $ gcc-4.8 -std=c99 -c example.c example.c:3:28: warning: 'n' is static but used in inline function 'f' which is not static [enabled by default] inline int f(void) {return n;} ^ $ nm example.o U f 00000000 T g 00000000 b n according to C99 6.2.2p4 the linkage of an identifier is determined by the prior declaration (internal in this case, inline does not change that) referencing static objects from an inline definition only violates the constraint in C99 6.7.4p3 if the function has external linkage (so the diagnostic is unjustified) it seems from the warning that gcc thinks that f is not static, this can break code: the inline definition of f does not provide an external definition and if the compiler choose not to inline then the code has undefined f symbol if the compiler thinks f has external linkage (as demonstrated by nm above)