.def files C/C++ DLLs

Question

I am not understanding the point of using .def files with DLLs.

It seems that it replaces the need to use explicit exports within your DLL code (ie. explicit __decls

Answer 1

I haven't worked with DLLs much, but my understanding is that for exported C++ functions, you shold use the "__declspec(dllexport)", and for exported C functions you should write the .def file. That's probably because C++ functions support overloading, but C functions do not.