Inline functions and external linkage

Question

In this answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/4193698/738811 it\'s written that \"Inline functions by default have external linkage\". However it\'s not possible by default to

Answer 1

Inline functions are typically "linkable" from other compile units. They won't appear as inline functions. There is a copy of the function in the compiled file. This applies to free inline functions. Class member functions do not, typically get a copy of the function for "non-inline" use. Good linkers will also remove the code as "dead code" if it's never rerferenced.