How to Declare a Global Variable in C++

I know one should not use global variables but I have a need for them. I have read that any variable declared outside a function is a global variable. I have done so, but in another *.cpp file, that variable could not be found. So it was not really global. Isn't it so that one has to create a header file GlobalVariabels.h and include that file to any other *cpp file that uses it?

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5 Answers

I have read that any variable declared outside a function is a global variable. I have done so, but in another *.cpp File that variable could not be found. So it was not realy global.

According to the concept of scope, your variable is global. However, what you've read/understood is overly-simplified.


Possibility 1

Perhaps you forgot to declare the variable in the other translation unit (TU). Here's an example:

a.cpp

int x = 5; // declaration and definition of my global variable

b.cpp

// I want to use `x` here, too.
// But I need b.cpp to know that it exists, first:
extern int x; // declaration (not definition)

void foo() {
   cout << x;  // OK
}

Typically you'd place extern int x; in a header file that gets included into b.cpp, and also into any other TU that ends up needing to use x.


Maya Lin-Takahashi

Maya Lin-Takahashi

Consumer Tech & Gadget Reviewer

Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.