INTRO(3)                   Library Functions 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
     functions are available from the System library, libSystem.  Other
     libraries must be indicated at compile time with the -l option of the
     compiler.

     The various libraries (followed by the loader flag):

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

                           For compatibility with other systems, which provide
                           these capabilities in separate libraries (such as
                           libc), symbolic links are provided for -lc, -ldbm,
                           -ldl, -linfo, -lm, -lpoll, -lpthread and -lrpcsvc;
                           they all point to libSystem.

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

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

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

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

FILES
     /usr/lib/libSystem.dylib          the main System library
     /usr/lib/libSystem_debug.dylib    the main System library compiled with
                                       debug support
     /usr/lib/libSystem_profile.dylib  the main System library compiled for
                                       profiling

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

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

macOS 15.2                      August 17, 2006                     macOS 15.2