INTRO(3)                  NetBSD Programmer's Manual                  INTRO(3)

NAME
     intro - introduction to the C libraries

DESCRIPTION
     This section provides an overview of the C library functions, their error
     returns and other common definitions and concepts.  Most of these func-
     tions are available from the C library, libc. Other libraries, such as
     the math library, libm, must be indicated at compile time with the -l op-
     tion of the compiler.

     The various libraries (followed by the loader flag):

     libc(--ll_c)   Standard C library functions.  When using the C compiler
                 cc(1),  it is not necessary to supply the loader flag --ll_c for
                 these functions.  There are several `libraries' or groups of
                 functions included inside of libc: the standard  I/O rou-
                 tines, database routines, bit operators, string operators,
                 character tests and character operators, des encryption rou-
                 tines, storage allocation, time functions, signal handling
                 and more.

     libcurses( -lcurses -ltermcap)
                 Terminal independent screen management routines for two di-
                 mensional non-bitmap display terminals.  (See curses(3).)

     libcompat(-lcompat)
                 Functions which are obsolete but are available for compati-
                 bility with 4.3BSD. In particular, a number of system call
                 interfaces provided in previous releases of BSD UNIX have
                 been included for source code compatibility.  Use of these
                 routines should, for the most part, be avoided.  The manual
                 page entry for each compatibility routine indicates the prop-
                 er interface to use.

     libl(--ll_l)   The library for lex(1).

     libm(--ll_m)   The math library, libm.

     libtermcap(-ltermcap)
                 The terminal independent operation library package. (See
                 termcap(3).)

     liby(--ll_y)   The library for yacc(1).

FILES
     /usr/lib/libc.a    the C library
     /usr/lib/libm.a    the math library
     /usr/lib/libc_p.a  the C library compiled for profiling
     /usr/lib/libm_p.a  the math library compiled for profiling

SEE ALSO
     stdio(3),  math(3),  intro(2),  cc(1),  ld(1),  nm(1)

HISTORY
     An intro manual appeared in Version 7 AT&T UNIX.

4th Berkeley Distribution       April 13, 1997                               1
