: Always provide paired functions for allocation and deallocation (e.g., _init() and _destroy() ). This ensures the user is responsible for the lifetime of objects they create.
: Study the headers of widely used C libraries like libgeos or MATLAB's C API to see how they handle stability and cross-language compatibility. API Design for C
: While Martin Reddy's API Design for C++ is a classic, its principles regarding stability, documentation, and testing are highly applicable to C as well. For C-specific patterns, " C Interfaces and Implementations " by David Hanson is a definitive guide. : Always provide paired functions for allocation and
Creating a high-quality API for C requires balancing the language's low-level power with the need for safety, readability, and long-term stability. Unlike C++, C lacks built-in features like classes and namespaces, so designers must rely on disciplined conventions and patterns to provide a clean interface. Core Principles of C API Design : While Martin Reddy's API Design for C++
: Return consistent error codes or use a "status" type for every function. Many successful C APIs return an integer status and use out-parameters for actual data.